Sports Mole previews the upcoming Ligue 1 match between Monaco and Marseille at the Stade Louis II, highlighting their pursuit of Champions League qualification. Monaco, currently third, recently lost their second-place position to Marseille after a defeat against Brest. Despite their struggles against top teams, they maintain a perfect home record this year. Meanwhile, Marseille aims to recover from a three-game losing streak, though they are defensively vulnerable. Key players like Breel Embolo and Luiz Felipe are sidelined, while both teams possess formidable attacking capabilities. A draw is anticipated, given their recent performances.
Sports Mole offers a preview of Saturday’s Ligue 1 match between Monaco and Marseille, including predictions, team news, and potential lineups.
In one of the standout fixtures of the weekend in Ligue 1, Monaco faces off against Marseille as both teams strive for automatic Champions League qualification at the Stade Louis II.
Last weekend, Monaco lost their second place to Marseille, but Adi Hutter‘s squad remains in third, amidst a fiercely competitive race for the top four.
Match preview
© Imago
Describing Monaco as flat-track bullies this season is fitting, as they have accrued 50 points, with only 14 coming from 16 matches against teams currently positioned in the top half of Ligue 1.
Following a 2-1 defeat away to Brest last weekend, Hutter’s team dropped to third place and risks losing further ground with another underwhelming performance this weekend.
With Strasbourg trailing just one point behind them and fifth-place Lyon close behind, the remaining six matches of the Ligue 1 season could be crucial.
Fortunately for Monaco, their home form at Stade Louis II is exceptional; they are the only team in Ligue 1 to maintain a perfect record on home turf in 2025, having won all five games and netting 19 goals.
It has been six years since Monaco last claimed six consecutive home victories, underscoring what a remarkable feat that would be, potentially securing them a return to second place.
Although Marseille are tough opponents, Monaco has managed to score in 21 of their last 22 encounters in Ligue 1, indicating that the visiting offense will need to be sharp.
Notably, Marseille holds the record for the most away victories at Monaco in Ligue 1, with 20 wins in 53 visits, and have emerged victorious in four of the last six matchups.
© Imago
Marseille’s confidence has recently surged after overcoming a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over Toulouse at the Stade Velodrome; a vital win following a tumultuous buildup that saw the manager abstain from training after their defeat to Reims.
Yet, their defense remains a point of concern: no team in second place at this point in the Ligue 1 season has conceded as many goals as Marseille’s 38 this season, a statistic not seen since Bordeaux’s 39 in 1983.
This defensive shortcoming is unsurprising given De Zerbi’s attacking style, as they compensate with exhilarating offensive displays, averaging over two goals per game in Ligue 1.
However, a strong response is necessary away from home after a troubling recent run, having taken 27 points from a potential 33 in their first 11 away games this season, only to lose their last three consecutive matches.
Monaco Ligue 1 form:
Marseille Ligue 1 form:
Team News
© Imago
Monaco will be missing young defender Christian Mawissa and Swiss forward Breel Embolo due to suspensions, which may prompt Hutter to switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Eliesse Ben Seghir and Aleksandr Golovin will compete for a starting spot after both were benched in the last two games, whereas Mika Biereth will aim to continue his remarkable home scoring streak, having netted 11 goals in just five home appearances.
On the injury list, Kassoum Ouattara, Soungoutou Magassa, and Jordan Teze remain unavailable, as they have missed recent fixtures.
Marseille is also facing absences in defense, with Luiz Felipe and Leonardo Balerdi out, while Amine Gouiri is doubtful, which would be a considerable blow as he has tallied seven goals in eight starts since his January transfer.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be in line for a start after serving as an unused substitute in the victory over Toulouse, but he will need to displace one of the currently performing central midfielders Ismael Bennacer or Valentin Rongier.
Additionally, Faris Moumbagna is set to return, having been sidelined for most of the season due to a serious knee injury, and he may see his first action in months this weekend.
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Kohn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Singo, Henrique; Zakaria, Camara; Akliouche, Minamino, Ben Seghir; Biereth
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Murillo, Cornelius, Kondogbia; Henrique, Bennacer, Hojbjerg, Merlin; Greenwood, Rowe, Rabiot
We predict: Monaco 2-2 Marseille
Both teams possess remarkable attacking lineups, suggesting an entertaining match is on the horizon, but a draw would be more beneficial for the visitors considering their slight advantage in the league standings.
With 31 goals tallied in Monaco’s last six home games and Marseille’s fluctuating performance on both sides of the pitch this season, fans can anticipate an exciting encounter.
For detailed data analysis on the most probable outcomes, scorelines, and more for this match please click here.
