Milik makes point before Marseille face Clermont | OneFootball

Unhappy at being reduced to the role of super-sub last weekend, Arkadiusz Milik responded with a brace in Europe in midweek. Will the Polish striker be in the Olympique de Marseille starting line-up against Clermont Foot 63 on Sunday?

Olympique de Marseille - Clermont Foot 63 Sunday at 20:45 CET (1945 GMT)

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Milik was left on the bench at kick-off for last week’s trip to FC Metz before coming on and scoring a spectacular late overhead kick to allow OM to leave the Stade Saint-Symphorien with a 2-1 victory that strengthened their grip on second place in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table. He then had made clear his unhappiness at being dropped from the side in a post-game interview, saying: “There are some things that I don’t understand but I am doing my job, so only this.”

The 27-year-old Polish forward had started four days earlier in the 4-1 defeat at OGC Nice in the Coupe de France and a week earlier had banged in a hat-trick as Jorge Sampaoli’s side came from behind to beat Angers SCO 5-2 at the Orange Vélodrome. It was no surprise to see him restored to the starting XI for Thursday’s home meeting with Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Highlights: Milik scores stunning winner against Metz

The former Napoli man duly scored his side’s first two goals, both typical poacher’s finishes, as Marseille won the knockout round play-off first leg 3-1, putting them well on course for a spot in the last 16 of the new third-tier European competition. However, he did not appear pleased when he was taken off midway through the second half to be replaced by Dimitri Payet, who scored his team’s late third goal.

“I didn’t see any bad reaction from him when he came off but we need our players to be ready for the games we have coming up. We had planned to make changes and that is what we did,” said Sampaoli after the game. “Fitness is more important than anyone’s feelings.”

Bayo to get back among goals?

Milik missed almost two months at the start of the season as he recovered from a knee injury but is now Marseille’s leading scorer by a distance with 16 goals in all competitions. He has netted seven times in the last six matches, despite playing 90 minutes just twice in that time. Sampaoli must now decide whether the Pole will retain his place against Clermont, or whether either Cédric Bakambu or Bamba Dieng might deserve a recall.

Marseille ended last weekend a huge 13 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain but four points clear in second place from OGC Nice in third. The aim now is to further consolidate their grip on an automatic Champions League qualifying spot before heading to Azerbaijan for the return leg against Qarabag on Thursday.

Highlights: Clermont beaten by Saint-Etienne

Clermont, who lost 1-0 at home to OM in the reverse fixture in October, ended last weekend in 15th position, three points above the bottom five who were separated by just a single point. They are on course to beat the drop in their first ever top-flight campaign but there is still a long way to go for Pascal Gastien’s side.

Clermont had claimed impressive back-to-back wins against Stade Rennais FC and OGC Nice before losing 2-1 at home to fellow strugglers AS Saint-Etienne last weekend despite taking a first-half lead through Cédric Hountondji. “We deserved better,” said Gastien after that setback at the Stade Gabriel-Montpied. “We lost because we were not clinical enough.”

What Clermont need is for star striker Mohamed Bayo to get back among the goals. The Guinea international missed four matches in January while away at the Africa Cup of Nations and has not added to his tally of nine goals this season since mid-December, when he netted the winner away at Angers. Young Ghanaian defender Alidu Seidu can play here before serving a suspension against Girondins de Bordeaux in Round 26.

Probable teams

Marseille: Lopez; Saliba, Caleta-Car, Peres; Guendouzi, Kamara, Gerson, Kolasinac; Under, Milik, Payet

Clermont: Djoco; Zedadka, Hountondji, Ogie, Nsimba; Abdul Samed, Gastien, Magnin; Da Cunha, Bayo, Rashani