Preview: Marseille vs Newcastle United - prediction, team news, lineups

Clashing in Europe's top competition for the first time, Marseille and Newcastle United lock horns in Tuesday's Champions League league-phase battle at the Orange Velodrome.

Eddie Howe's Magpies strive for a fourth straight victory in the competition, while their French hosts risk losing three in a row at the continent's top table.

Match preview

At the halfway point of the 2025-26 Champions League league phase, Newcastle have exhibited their last-16 credentials since falling to a narrow opening loss to Barcelona, taking nine points from the last nine on offer against Union SG, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao.

Howe's men have struck a fabulous nine goals and conceded a grand total of zero during that terrific winning sequence, and they needed no second invitation to capitalise on Athletic's injury problems on matchday four, easing to a 2-0 win thanks to Dan Burn's magnificent header and Joelinton's own aerial effort.

If the final whistle blew on the league phase now, the sixth-placed Magpies would secure an automatic ticket to the last 16 of the competition, in which Howe could oversee a slice of Newcastle history on Tuesday evening.

Should Newcastle earn another victory in midweek, they would have won four successive Champions League matches for the very first time, and a 2-1 Premier League success over Manchester City was the perfect warm-up for another European away day.

The less said about the visitors' overall form on the road the better - they have lost their last three Premier League away contests to West Ham United, Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion - but only two of their last 13 Champions League league phase/group-stage games on rival turf have ended in defeat.

While Newcastle have been triumphing for fun on their own soil - Saturday's Man City success was their sixth win in a row at St James' Park in all competitions - Marseille are reeling from a recent European setback in front of the home faithful.

Roberto De Zerbi's men were stunted by Atalanta BC on matchday four, when an 89th-minute winner from Lazar Samardzic condemned Les Olympiens to an agonising 1-0 defeat, their third loss from four UCL games in 2025-26.

Sporting Lisbon and Real Madrid have also got the better of De Zerbi's side, whose only European success so far this term came at home to a hapless Ajax team, and the former Champions League holders are languishing in 25th place in the table as a result.

However, Marseille have rediscovered their offensive bite in their last two Ligue 1 games, downing Brest 3-0 before the international break and crushing Nice 5-1 last time out, when ex-Manchester United attacker Mason Greenwood hit double figures for the league season.

Les Olympiens now set out to end a miserable 12-match winless run against English teams in UEFA competitions, but they ran out 2-0 victors over Newcastle during the 2003-04 UEFA Cup semi-finals, when Didier Drogba bagged a brace in that second-leg success.

Marseille Champions League form:

Marseille form (all competitions):

Newcastle United Champions League form:

Newcastle United form (all competitions):

Team News

The one minor blot on the Newcastle notebook against Man City was Lewis Hall's enforced change in the 77th minute, but Howe is confident that the left-back was only suffering from cramp after a long spell on the sidelines with injury.

Either way, Howe can afford to take it easy with the ex-Chelsea man thanks to Burn's return from a domestic suspension, and the visiting coach is also boosted by Anthony Gordon's return from a groin problem.

However, Will Osula (ankle), Yoane Wissa (knee), Kieran Trippier (knock) and Harrison Ashby (thigh) are unavailable to face Marseille, and if Joelinton is yellow-carded in midweek, he will miss the Magpies' matchday six clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

As for the hosts, 2021 Champions League winner with Chelsea Emerson Palmieri is back from a European ban, but fellow defender Benjamin Pavard will incur a one-game suspension if he is cautioned on Tuesday.

Nayef Aguerd would be in the same boat, but the Moroccan is out injured alongside Amine Gouiri, Hamed Traore, Facundo Medina and Amir Murillo; in brighter news, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg should be fit to play.

Up front, De Zerbi should not consider any alterations to the effective forward line of Greenwood, Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - the latter also struck one goal and set up two more in the thrashing of Nice.

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Rulli; Weah, Pavard, Balerdi, Emerson; Kondogbia, Hojbjerg; Greenwood, Gomes, Paixao; Aubameyang

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Pope; Livramento, Botman, Thiaw, Burn; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes

We say: Marseille 1-2 Newcastle United

The Champions League has provided a welcome escape for Newcastle amid their domestic struggles this season, but the opposite is true for Marseille, who also do not come into the game in tip-top shape due to injuries.

The intimidating Velodrome atmosphere could still work its magic, but we have faith in the Magpies to capitalise on their hosts' fitness woes to win a historic fourth Champions League game on the spin.

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