Marseille VS RB Salzburg Match Prediction

  • Logo2018-04-26
  • Logo19:05:00
Marseille
VS
RB Salzburg

Our Prediction Tip

Marseille will win this match.

These teams met one another in the group stages back in the fall.  Salzburg won the first meeting, at home, thanks to a single goal from Munas Dabour. The second meeting in December ended 0-0 in France.

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Marseille vs Salzburg Betting Tips and Odds

Bet365 have the following odds available for this match:

Marseille are at 13/20 to win, a draw is at 11/4, and an RB Salzburg win is at 17/4.

Marseille's chances of a return to the big time stage of the Champions League are decent right now. They desperately crave nights in the top tier, and they still have two chances at via this tournament and the league as well.  In Ligue 1, they are fighting tooth and nail with Lyon for the third and final UCL slot.  They recently lost to them, so that has allowed their rivals back in with a chance. So they can't have their full attention devoted to this despite their obvious want to go on and win the competition.

As for Red Bull Salzburg, they are in top spot in the Austrian Bundesliga yet again this season. They are also on course for yet another cup win thus far, so they could make it a very unlikely treble if they were to win this trophy in shock circumstances. They can have their full attention here as they have an eight point gap over Sturm Graz in second, giving them the opportunity to pull off another huge upset that sends shockwaves throughout the football world.  Because of their league's lower standing, they would love to win this tournament and make the group stage without having to go through qualifiers as they did this past year- which knocked them out without a loss!

At home, Marseille haven't been dominant in just Europa League play recently. In addition to winning seven of the last eight UEL games at home, they have only lost twice all season at the Velodrome. One loss was in September to Rennes, and the other was that loss to Lyon that opened up the race for third in a huge way. But they redeemed themselves with a five goal haul and a win over RB Leipzig, the bigger brother to Salzburg, so they could be set to provide another thrilling performance this time.

As for RB Salzburg, they have looked tremendous on the road most of the season. They have lost just three times in total, once to Sturm Graz, Lazio, and LASK Linz. The worry, though, will be that two of those losses have come in the last four outings, and that they needed penalties to win at Mattersburg in the cup as well. That might have some doubting their credentials, but they have overcame both Borussia Dortmund and Lazio already, and they should not be counted out at all.  

Payet to score anytime is at 19/10 via Ladbrokes.

Marseille vs Salzburg Prediction

After the rousing performance displayed by the Frenchmen at home last round against the 'senior' Red Bull side, more of the same will be expected of them. But the younger, more hungry Austrians will keep it tight and force a nervy second leg.

Correct Score Prediction: Marseille 2-1 Red Bull Salzburg

 

Team News

Rudi Garcia will be missing several stars for this important first leg in which his side need to lay down a marker. Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, center back Rolando, and defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara are all set to miss out through injury.  Left back Hiroki Sakai is also a doubt now due to an injury picked up against Lille.

Key Man

Marseille exploded in the second leg at home to RB Leipzig in the last round to score five goals, but it was all orchestrated by the brilliance of attacking midfield man Dimitri Payet.  The Frenchman has always had the ability to change a game in the blink of an eye with a superb goal from a free kick, or even, open play, and he did just that against the last Red Bull side he faced. It was only his third goal of the tournament, but it showed just how important he truly is to their cause.

Team Form

Marseille have three wins, a draw, and a loss in their last five matches:

5-1 home win vs Lille
2-3 win at Troyes
5-2 home win vs RB Leipzig (UEL)
0-0 home draw vs Montpellier
1-0 loss at RB Leipzig (UEL)

Marseille Predicted Starting Line-up

Expected Line-up: 4-2-3-1

Team News

Marco Rose has great news ahead of this monumental semi-final.  His side is totally healthy and without any suspensions, meaning he is capable of fielding his strongest team for this trip to France. They did rotate a little this past weekend, so expect to see his strongest team reappear now when the lights are on brightest.

Key Man

Many people would look at Salzburg and assume that the Austrians have been carried to this point by one player alone.  But that has not been the case at all, with many men contributing to what has been a true team effort.  One of those members that has flown under the radar due to the goal scoring exploits of Dabour and Berisha has been Stefan Lainer.  The Austrian right back has an astonishing seven assists, from his defensive position, and he scored the clinching goal against Lazio as well.

Team Form

Salzburg have three wins, a draw, and a loss in their last five matches:

3-1 home win vs Rheindorf Altach
0-0 draw, penalty win at Mattersburg (Cup)
2-6 win at Admira
4-1 home win vs Lazio (UEL)
1-0 loss at LASK Linz

Salzburg Predicted Starting Line-up

Expected Line-up: 4-3-1-2

By taking four points from the two group stage matches, Red Bull Salzburg have laid down a marker and shown Marseille that they meant business, and they did so far before the rest of the world was paying attention. That could just cost them in this tie as Marseille have been on fire at home in the Europa League, winning seven out of the last eight home affairs. The French side should get a victory here, but will it be by enough for them to hold in in Austria?
Salzburg earned a win and a draw against Marseille back in the group stages, keeping two clean sheets in the process, as they topped the group over the French side.