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

Marseille will try to avoid suffering consecutive Ligue 1 defeats for the first time this season when they face Strasbourg on Saturday at Stade Velodrome.

Last week OM were thumped 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain, dropping them down to fourth in the table, while Strasbourg maintained their seventh-place standing despite a 2-1 defeat at Le Havre.

Match preview

On many occasions this season, Marseille have laid a beating on their opponents, but last weekend they discovered what it’s like to be on the wrong side of a hammering.

They gave up as many goals on matchday 21 as they had in their previous three Ligue 1 affairs combined, moving them to within three points of Lyon for a guaranteed place in the League Phase of the next Champions League.

That spelled the end for Roberto De Zerbi as their manager, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss and the club mutually parting ways this week.

So far this season, OM have points in all but one of their league fixtures at Stade Velodrome, with that lone home defeat coming versus Nantes in early January (2-0).

The second-highest scoring team in the competition this season (46 goals) could go successive domestic matches without netting on Saturday for the first time since March 2024.

This weekend, Les Phoceens can win both meetings with Le Racing in a single campaign for the first time since 2021-22.

© Imago / IMAGO / Bildbyran

After a series of solid results to begin 2026, Strasbourg have suffered two consecutive setbacks, keeping them below the European places for now.

Gary O’Neil has lost his last two matches in charge, while this team could equal their longest losing run in the league campaign with another defeat on Saturday.

Eight of the nine Strasbourg losses domestically this season have been by just a single goal, five of which were away from home.

That said, they are separated by just a single point from Rennes heading into this matchday, while they are only three points below Lille for fifth.

Only once in 2025-26 have they beaten a top six team away from home in this competition, collecting a 4-1 win at Lille in late January.

Le Racing have picked up a point in four of their previous five visits to Stade Velodrome, earning a 1-1 draw in those previous two outings.

Marseille Ligue 1 form:

Marseille form (all competitions):

Strasbourg Ligue 1 form:

Strasbourg form (all competitions):

Team News

There were four changes made to the Marseille starting 11 at PSG, with Jeffrey de Lange getting the call between the sticks, while Benjamin Pavard, Emerson Palmieri and Amine Gouiri also began that match.

Himad Abdelli made his first appearance for Les Olympiens in Ligue 1 last week, with the Angers arrival replacing Pavard in the second half, while Tochukwu Nadi will seek his first cap for them on Saturday.

Muscle issues should prevent Maxi Oyedele and Emanuel Emegha from featuring for Strasbourg on Saturday, Abdoul Ouattara has a knock, Guela Doue is doubtful with a sore ankle, while Ismael Doukoure is out with a red card suspension.

Martial Godo had their only strike on matchday 21, while Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana will seek his first Ligue 1 appearance for them in Marseille.

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Ruilli; Egan-Riley, Balerdi, Medina; Weah, Timber, Hojbjerg, Palmieri; Greenwood, Piaxao, Aubameyang

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:

Penders; Anselmino, Hogsberg, Omobamidele, Chilwell; El Mourabet, Barco; Moreira, Enciso, Godo; Panichelli

We say: Marseille 2-1 Strasbourg

Marseille always seem to come back strong after a tough outing, and we expect to see a very determined performance from them on Saturday.

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