‘They’ll experience hell’ – Marseille president promises fiery welcome to Atalanta | OneFootball

Olympique de Marseille will look to their home advantage on Thursday evening as they host Atalanta BC in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final.

The former Champions League winners have a remarkable record at home having not lost a game in this competition at the Stade Vélodrome. Something that has also been reflected in their league form, where Marseille have recorded the second most points in Ligue 1 while playing on familiar ground (33 points compared to Lille’s 36).

However, they will be facing a formidable task in the shape of Atalanta. A team that travelled to a hostile Anfield to face Liverpool in the previous round and came away with 3 unanswered goals. Despite this, Marseille’s president, Pablo Longoria, believes the Italian side will have faced nothing quite like passion in La Provence.

‘If only home games counted, Marseille would be second in Ligue 1’

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Longoria stated “Hats off to Atalanta for the victory at Anfield against Liverpool. But on Thursday, they will experience hell at the Vélodrome. If only home games counted, we would be second in Ligue 1

And therein lies the issue for Marseille, they cannot play at home every week, and their record away from their stadium has been their Achilles Heel. The club has not won away from the Stade Vélodrome in the Europa League since October and has only picked up 11 points in the league while on the road, so they will need some of that fire if they hope to take a step towards reaching the final.

GFFN | Nick Hartland