Olympico preview: Marseille to pile misery on Lyon? | OneFootball

Olympique de Marseille host Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday, with one of the biggest fixtures in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats calendar containing extra intrigue amid the crisis at OL and the battle of wits between Italian coaches Gennaro Gattuso and Fabio Grosso.

Olympique de Marseille – Olympique Lyonnais Kick-off 20:45 CET on Sunday (1945 GMT)

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Marseille come into the game in much better shape than their opponents, even if they will have had little rest since playing AEK Athens of Greece in the Europa League on Thursday. A 3-1 win in that game at the Orange Vélodrome left Gattuso’s team in a strong position in their group and means last weekend’s 1-0 loss away at OGC Nice is their only defeat in their last four outings in all competitions.

There were plenty of reasons to be cheerful after Thursday’s performance, not least with Vitinha after the Portuguese striker made the most of a rare opportunity in the starting line-up. Preferred to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang through the middle of the attack, Vitinha opened the scoring with his first goal in over two months and then won the crucial penalty which left AEK down to 10 men and allowed Marseille to retake the lead at 2-1.

“It is a very important three points. It gives the team confidence. It is always much better to go to work after a victory,” Vitinha told UEFA.com after the game as he pondered the prospect of having just two full days to rest and recover before hosting Lyon. “We have a big game coming up on Sunday with not much time to rest, but there is no doubt that winning always makes it easier.”

Highlights: Marseille beaten by Nice in Mediterranean derby

While going far in Europe is important for OM, they do need points domestically in the league having lost ground on the teams at the top of the table amid a frustrating start to the season. Last weekend’s Mediterranean derby defeat left Marseille down in eighth place, six points adrift of Paris Saint-Germain in third and three away from LOSC Lille in fourth. They have almost the perfectly inconsistent record, with three wins, three draws and three defeats in nine outings, 12 goals scored and 12 conceded.

Lyon in relegation dogfight

The outcome of this fixture has been hard to predict in recent years, and OM have won only two of their last nine home league meetings with Lyon. However, they have come out on top in the last two meetings of the sides. Meanwhile, OL head south in wretched form, rooted to the foot of the table with no wins and just three points to their name all season. Fabio Grosso - who played with Gattuso in Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning side - has not yet been able to revive the fortunes of the seven-time champions, overseeing one draw and three defeats from his four games in charge.

It goes without saying that it is Lyon’s worst ever start to a season, and according to statisticians Opta, 14 of the 17 previous teams who found themselves with three points or fewer this far into a season ended up being relegated. OL owner John Textor may have suggested last weekend that there was no chance of his club going down, but they are most definitely in a relegation dogfight.

Watch: Lyon go down at home to Clermont

“We need to face up to the truth and be fully aware of the reality,” said Grosso at a press conference on Friday. “We also need to be able to remain positive. This can be the game where we turn things around and gain some confidence. I love this club and this city and I am trying to give everything I can each day to get us out of this situation. There is still time for us to improve things, although time passes fast.”

Marseille are set to again be without first-choice goalkeeper Pau López after he came off with a thigh injury against Nice last weekend, meaning Rubén Blanco is set to once more deputise between the posts. Joaquin Correa and Samuel Gigot have also been on the sidelines. Leonardo Balerdi is suspended after his red card in Nice.

Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso can play before serving a one-match ban next weekend. Nicolás Tagliafico will hope to return after the Argentina full-back was left out for last Sunday’s 2-1 home loss to Clermont Foot 63.

Possible teams

Marseille: Blanco; Clauss, Mbemba, Meïté (or Gigot), Lodi; Veretout, Rongier (c); Sarr, Harit, Ndiaye; Aubameyang

Lyon: Lopes; Mata, O’Brien, Lovren, Tagliafico; Caqueret, Akouokou, Tolisso; Cherki, Lacazette (c), Nuamah

>> FOCUS: Gattuso and Grosso set for Olympico reunion