Preview: Angers vs Marseille - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams in search of their first Ligue 1 triumphs this year will square off on Saturday at Stade Raymond Kopa, as Angers host Marseille on matchday 18.

A narrow 2-1 defeat at Le Havre dropped Les Scoistes down to 10th in the table, with OM sitting third after a surprising 2-0 loss at home to Nantes.

Match preview

Early into 2026, Angers seem to have lost the momentum they built up near the end of 2025, winning three straight competitive games to conclude last year.

Alexandre Dujeux has seen his side suffer consecutive defeats to start this year, exiting the Coupe de France last weekend on penalties versus Toulouse.

Although that defeat occurred at Stade Raymond Kopa, this team have been in solid form in that venue, winning three of their previous four matches played at home in this competition.

In six of their eight Ligue 1 home games this season, Angers have conceded a goal or fewer, collecting three clean sheets along the way.

After 17 matchdays, they have picked up 22 points in this competition, three more than they had at this stage of the previous campaign.

While they have only claimed one point against the teams currently in the top three, Les Scoistes have given them all they can handle, losing by a single goal to both Lens and Paris Saint-Germain, while playing to a 2-2 draw at Marseille in late October.

Once considered a serious title contender, Les Olympiens look a long way from that now, especially in this competition.

The former nine-time Ligue 1 champions have dropped points in three of their previous four top-flight affairs and could lose consecutive league matches on Saturday for the first time all season.

In between those poor results, though, Roberto De Zerbi’s side have shown their attacking pedigree against, albeit weaker French clubs, winning their two Coupe de France affairs this season by a combined margin of 15-0.

They have won two of their previous three away matches in this competition, but could equal their longest road losing run of the campaign with a defeat this weekend.

So far in 2025-26, Marseille are second in the league for goals scored (36) but have been shut out three times outside the Velodrome in the competition.

Les Phoceens are unbeaten in their last eight competitive meetings with Angers, failing to concede in their previous three visits to Stade Raymond Kopa.

Angers Ligue 1 form:

Angers form (all competitions):

Marseille Ligue 1 form:

Marseille form (all competitions):

Team News

This weekend, Angers are likely to be missing Himad Abdelli due to a knock, while Yassin Belkhdim will be suspended and Herve Koffi could be available despite being injured for Burkina Faso at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Louis Mouton had the only goal for them in Normandy on matchday 17, which briefly put his side level before Le Havre netted a winner nine minutes from the end.

Olympique de Marseille will be missing Ruben Blanco, who has a sore knee, Bilal Nadir must serve a suspension, while Nayef Aguerd is out because of AFCON with Morocco.

Mason Greenwood bagged a hat-trick in their 9-0 Coupe de France thumping of Bayeux on Tuesday, Amine Gouiri netted a brace in that outing, with Neal Maupay, CJ Egan-Riley, Hamed Traore and Angel Gomes also scoring.

Angers possible starting lineup:

Koffi; Arcus, Bamba, Lefort, Sinate; Courcoul, Belkebla; Capelle, Mouton, Sbai; Cherif

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Rulli; Pavard, Egan-Riley, Medina; Weah, O’Riley, Hojberg, Palmieri; Greenwood, Paixao, Aubameyang

We say: Angers 1-2 Marseille

While Angers have shown they can keep games close all season, they seem to defend a lot against the big teams, and we expect Marseille will eventually find an opening and take advantage.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.