Marseille vs Strasbourg prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-03-11 19:45.
With the Ligue 1 title now seemingly unattainable after their 3-0 loss to league leaders PSG two games back, Marseille began the task of consolidating their second-place position in the table by bouncing back to beat Rennes 1-0 last round. A “very proud” Marseille manager Igor Tudor described the win as “very valuable” and a bold response to their embarrassing Coupe de France elimination to Ligue 2 side Annecy. It helped his side open up a four-point advantage over the chasing pair of Monaco and Lens as the race for the final automatic UEFA Champions League qualification spot promises to go down to the wire.
The Phocaeans return to the Stade VĂ©lodrome needing a desperate improvement in home form to see them through after going winless in their last three home league matches (D1, L2). Yet the visit of Strasbourg might provide the perfect opportunity to turn that tide given Marseille are unbeaten in their last 14 home league H2Hs (W10, D4).
Strasbourg have failed to improve their situation since the World Cup break, having now lost six of their last 11 Ligue 1 matches (W3, D2) after suffering a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Brest last round. The visitors will enter the weekend outside the dreaded relegation zone despite that defeat, but with their advantage coming solely down to goal difference, only time will tell if that will continue after the round is complete.
Manager Frédéric Antonetti will prepare his side to take on Marseille with additional worries as his side have won only one of their last seven away matches (D2, L4), and that’s on top of the 61-year-old’s long history against Marseille as a Ligue 1 journeyman, where he has come out the victor in only six of his 30 managerial meetings against them (D9, L15).
Players to watch: Marseille’s Alexis Sánchez will look to carry on his incredible record of avoiding defeat in the last 48 club games in which he has found the net (W45, D3), whereas Strasbourg’s Habib Diallo has recorded his side’s opener in 14 of his last 17 goalscoring appearances.
Hot stat: Marseille have scored the most goals (15) and conceded the fewest (two) between the 46th and 60th minutes this Ligue 1 season.