Marseille vs Benfica: Betting Odds & Prediction

(Featured image: Alamy Images)

Written by: Scott Ennis

Marseille have it all to do as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit in their Europa League quarter-final against Benfica on Thursday evening.

Kick off is set for 8pm UK time at the Stade Velodrome.

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Marseille

Jean-Louis Gasset's side come into the game knowing anything other than a win will see them bow out of the competition. Marseille have recorded just one win over Benfica in their history - a 2-1 victory in a European Cup semi-final second leg back in 1990. They have faced the Portuguese outfit twice since, losing on both occasions, including last week's 2-1 defeat in Lisbon.

Marseille's form heading into the fixture is hardly ideal, with the French club failing to pick up a win in their last five outings in all competitions, though they do boast an unbeaten home record in the Europa League this season (W4, D1).

Goals are required if they are to progress, and Marseille have already bagged 25 in the competition so far, with 16 of them scored on home soil. They've also averaged an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.75 across their five home outings, giving their fans reason for optimism heading into the clash.

Their defensive record is a cause for concern, though; they've already conceded 18 goals in the Europa League, though only seven have been shipped at home. Marseille have also managed one clean sheet in the competition so far - a 4-0 home win over Villarreal in the previous round.

Benfica

The Portuguese club head into the fixture following a comfortable 3-0 home win over Moreirense at the weekend, picking up their fourth victory in their last six outings in the process. Benfica are unbeaten in the Europa League since entering the competition following a third-placed finish in the Champions League group stage. 

They have netted just one goal across their two away matches in the Europa League though, that being Rafa Silva's winner against Rangers in the previous round. They also averaged an xG of just 1.05 across those two games, and will be hoping to create more opportunities to see off the French outfit in their backyard. 

Benfica have been far from convincing defensively, too; though their two clean sheets in the competition appears impressive, they have averaged an expected goals against (xGA) tally of 1.59 across those games, and will be hoping for another strong performance by goalkeeper Anatolli Trubin to keep the Marseille frontline at bay. 

Prediction

Despite their poor form overall, Marseille have been superb on home turf this season, and also boast the tournament's highest scorer in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who already has ten goals to his name. Combined with Benfica's tendency to give away chances to their opponents, OddsNow back the French side to turn the tie around and secure passage to the final four on Thursday evening.

OddsNow's Pick: Marseille to win (29/20 @ vbet)

 

 

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