The Matchday 22 clash in Ligue 1 between Marseille and Saint-Etienne will take place on February 15 at the Velodrome Stadium. Marseille vs. Saint-Etienne: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Marseille
Roberto De Zerbi's side secured a 2-0 victory away to Angers in the last round. Notably, Marseille kept a clean sheet for the first time in their last seven league matches. Nonetheless, the team is performing excellently, remaining unbeaten in nine of their last ten Ligue 1 encounters (7 wins, 2 draws). In the standings, the club is the closest challenger to league leaders PSG, trailing by ten points.
- Both teams scored in five of Marseille's last seven league matches.
- The number "1" appeared in the final scoreline in 5 of the club's last 6 home games in Ligue 1.
- The team has conceded in their last eight home matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Marseille (3-4-3)
Geronimo Rulli – Derek Cornelius, Leonardo Balerdi, Amir Murillo – Quentin Merlin, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Ismael Bennacer, Luis Henrique – Mason Greenwood, Adrien Rabiot, Amine Gouiri.
Midfielders Valentin Rongier and Amine Harit are sidelined due to injuries.
Saint-Etienne
The team suffered a 0-2 home defeat to Rennes in the last round, extending their winless run in the league to five matches (2 draws, 3 losses). Moreover, Eirik Horneland's side failed to score for the first time in their last seven Ligue 1 outings. Despite these scoring struggles, Saint-Etienne ranks second to last in terms of goals scored. Their position in the overall standings isn't much better, sitting in 16th place.
- The team has lost 6 of their last 7 away league matches (1 draw).
- In 8 of their last 10 away games in this tournament, Saint-Etienne conceded at least two goals.
- They have scored against this opponent in 4 of their last 5 head-to-head meetings in Ligue 1.
Predicted lineup for Saint-Etienne (4-3-3)
Gauthier Larsonneur – Leo Petro, Mickael Nade, Pierre Cornud, Dennis Appiah – Louis Mouton, Pierre-Emmanuel Ekwah, Benjamin Bouchouari – Zuriko Davitashvili, Lucas Stassin, Augustine Boakye.
Referee
Abdellatif Kerradji (France)
Matches – 10 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 33;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.3;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 30%.
Match Prediction: Marseille vs. Saint-Etienne
The opponents are at opposite ends of the standings and have contrasting objectives. Marseille is striving to catch up with PSG, while Saint-Etienne is struggling to escape the relegation zone. Much of Saint-Etienne's plight is due to their away form: they are the worst-performing team on the road, losing 9 of 11 away matches this season and only picking up points against lower-table teams. Marseille rarely slips up at home against opponents of this caliber. Saint-Etienne also has the worst xGA in Ligue 1, and they concede an average of over three goals per away match this season.
Roberto De Zerbi's men are second only to PSG in terms of scoring, finding the net at least twice in 7 of their last 10 league matches. Notably, the club boasts the best goal tally after 21 rounds since 1972. Additionally, Marseille has scored nine times in their last three encounters with Saint-Etienne. Moreover, Marseille has defeated this opponent in 14 of their last 17 home meetings in Ligue 1.
My prediction: Marseille to win and Total over 2.5 goals
