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

Marseille have the opportunity to get their top three push back on track as they welcome bottom placed Metz to the Stade Velodrome on Friday evening.

Les Phoceens, who have lost both of their last two matches, currently sit fourth in the Ligue 1 standings, one point behind third, while Les Grenats are a staggering 12 points adrift of safety.

Match preview

Marseille will be glad to be facing a favourable fixture on Friday, with their last two encounters coming against fellow contenders in the race for a continental finish, both of which the Provencal club lost.

Having suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Lille, taking something from Stade Louis II against an in-form Monaco always looked unlikely for Les Phoceens, who endured another 2-1 loss, where Amine Gouiri’s late effort proved little more than a consolation.

That result marked a third defeat in six league matches (W3) under Habib Beye, who replaced current Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi in mid-February, and it also saw Marseille relinquish third place, with fifth-placed Monaco now level on points and just behind on goal difference.

Also at risk of slipping out of the European picture entirely, Les Phoceens sit just one point above Lyon in sixth, with seventh-placed Rennes two points further back, though victory on Friday would see Beye’s side temporarily widen the gap with both rivals playing later.

Even with a mixed record of two wins from their last five home matches across all competitions (D1, L2), Marseille will be confident of claiming maximum points against the division’s most vulnerable side this weekend.

Indeed, Metz have suffered the most league defeats of any team in the division (19), though the basement club have shown some resilience in their last two outings, recording goalless draws against Rennes and Nantes, respectively.

In fact, the latter nearly yielded victory for Les Grenats, who thought they had won with the final kick, only to see Gauthier Hein’s effort ruled out for offside, extending their winless run to 16 Ligue 1 matches (D4, L12) — the longest active such streak across Europe’s top 10 leagues.

Benoit Tavenot’s men have also drawn a blank in seven of their last nine top-flight matches, highlighting a lack of cutting edge in attack, while they have conceded a league-high 60 goals, underlining issues at both ends for the Lorraine side, who are at risk of an immediate return to the second tier.

Eight points adrift of the relegation playoff spot with just six matches remaining, victory here would boost the visitors' survival hopes, though for a side with just one away win in 14 Ligue 1 games (D2, L11), such ambitions appear a tall order.

There is also little to draw from recent meetings, with Metz winless in their last 10 encounters (D6, L4) against Marseille, including a 3-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in October.

Marseille Ligue 1 form:

Marseille form (all competitions):

Metz Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Marseille’s defeat at Monaco came with added concern as midfielder CJ Egan Riley was forced off, with Beye confirming the Englishman picked up a thigh injury that makes him doubtful for Friday.

If ruled out, he will join Nayef Aguerd, who is still recovering from groin surgery, while Geoffrey Kondogbia is set to miss a second straight match with a thigh issue.

In more positive news, top scorer Mason Greenwood is expected to return after a short layoff that also coincided with a suspension for accumulated bookings.

For Metz, Joseph Mangondo remains sidelined with a knee injury that has kept him out all season, while Benjamin Stambouli could miss out again due to a rib problem.

Midfielder Boubacar Traore has missed the last three matches with a calf issue and remains a doubt, while Alpha Toure faces a late assessment after picking up a knock despite being due back from suspension.

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Rulli; Pavard, Balerdi, Medina; Weah, Hojbjerg, H J Traore, J Timber, Paixao; Gouiri, Aubameyang

Metz possible starting lineup:

Sy; Kouao, Sane, Mboula, Colin; Hein, Gbamin, Deminguet; Sarr, Diallo, Tsitaishvili

We say: Marseille 3-0 Metz

Marseille risk suffering back-to-back home league defeats for the first time since November 2024, though a meeting with struggling Metz suggests they may avoid that fate.

Considering the visitors’ struggles in the final third, a comfortable victory looks likely for the hosts, who will hope three points can lift them back into the top three by the end of the gameweek.

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