Marseille vs Atalanta Match Analysis & Prediction
02/05/2024 10:00 pm
Meeting for the first time in European competition, Marseille and Atalanta BC will both seek a crucial first-leg lead as they kick off their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night.
With the prize of playing either Roma or new German champions Bayer Leverkusen at stake, neither club can afford to give ground ath the iconic Stade Velodrome.
Marseille were recently eliminated by Feyenoord at this stage of the 2021-22 Europa Conference League, and they have now made it through to this season’s Europa League semis in the most dramatic of circumstances.
Burdened by a series of injuries and requiring academy players to fill in, Jean-Luis Gasset’s side had suffered five straight defeats before facing Benfica in the second leg of their quarter-final, but a 1-0 home victory forced exttra time. Substitute Faris Moumbagna’s late header kept Marseille in it, and after 30 more goalless minutes, they ultimately prevailed 4-2 on penalties.
However, Marseille have still not escaped choppy waters, as Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Lens was their first in six Ligue 1 matches, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first-minute opener and Pape Gueye’s late goal keeping them in the hunt for European qualification.
Of course, winning the Europa League would provide a route straight into next season’s new-look Champions League, but Atalanta stand in their way of making another final.
Having won their last five home matches in UEFA competition but struggled on the road, gaining a first-leg advantage is surely essential ahead of next week’s trip to Bergamo.
Following Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Empoili, secured by a Mario Pasalic penalty and Ademola Lookman’s second-half goal, Atalanta have prevailed in 11 of their last 14 home matches across all competitions.
As if that were not enough to concern Marseille ahead of the second leg, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are also unbeaten in nine European away matches as they prepare for their springtime trip to Provence.
Atalanta have already made Europe sit up and take notice by beating Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield in the quarter-finals, so Stade Velodrome should not hold too many fears, in spite of its notorious reputation.
fter enduring a mid-season sticky spell, La Dea have been on the up since their last-16 defeat to Sporting Lisbon, and having just secured a spot in the Coppa Italia final, they are also in the race to earn Champions League qualification through Serie A.
La Dea sit sixth in the Serie A table with five matches remaining, and Italy’s top flight has already assured five spots at the Champions League for next season – partly through Atalanta and Roma reaching the Europa League semi-finals and boosting their national coefficient.
Atalanta could meet domestic rivals Roma in Dublin – both teams are also battling out for that fifth spot in Serie A – and then become the first Italian team to lify the Europa League trophy. However, twwo tough matches against Marseille must be negotiated before such dreams can be realised.
Marseille vs. Atalanta Head to head
This will be the first meeting between these two teams.
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Marseille Team News
While Moumbagna returns fron suspension, having been replaced by Iliman Ndiaye against Lens last time out, Marseille must do without centre-back Samuel Gigot on Thursday, due to a one-game UEFA ban.
Fellow defender Chancel Mbemba was recently out for the next few weeks by a knee injury, and Gasset’s list of absentees remains lengthy – Quentin Merlin (ankle) and Ismaila Sarr (hamstring are still sidelined, alongside Bamo Meite and Valentin Rongier; the latter two are out for the remainder of the season.
Marseille's Last 5 Matches
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11/04/2024Benfica2Marseille1Europa League
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18/04/2024MarseilleP 1Benfica0Europa League
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21/04/2024Toulouse2Marseille2Ligue 1
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24/04/2024Marseille2Nice2Ligue 1
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28/04/2024Marseille2Lens1Ligue 1
Atalanta Team News
Atalanta’s top marksman in Europe this season is Gianluca Scamacca (five goals), and having recently starred in their Coppa Italia semi-finals win over Fiorentina, he will battle it out for selection with Charles De Ketelaere, Lookman and El Bilal Toure up front.
Giorgio Scalvini returned to the lineup last weekend after recovering from a hamstring problem, and will feature in La Dea’s defence, but Emil Holm and Rafael Toloi are still unavailable.
Atalanta's Last 5 Matches
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15/04/2024Atalanta2Verona2Serie A
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18/04/2024Atalanta0Liverpool1Europa League
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21/04/2024Monza1Atalanta2Serie A
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24/04/2024Atalanta4Fiorentina1Coppa Italia
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28/04/2024Atalanta2Empoli0Serie A
Marseille vs. Atalanta: Odds and Predictions
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