For the 100th time in their history, Strasbourg and Marseille will face each other in a Ligue 1 encounter on Saturday at Stade de la Meinau.
Les Coureurs have points in two of their last three league fixtures, drawing Toulouse 2-2 last weekend, while Marseille have lost three consecutive games in all competitions, falling 2-1 versus Eintracht Frankfurt this week in the Champions League.
Match preview
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A season removed from their top-six finish domestically, the second campaign for Julien Stephan as manager of Strasbourg has not been as smooth.
After a dozen matches, they are only above the relegation line thanks to a superior goal difference over Brest and Auxerre.
Already in the 2022-23 domestic campaign, this team have dropped three home fixtures, as many as they had in their entire 2021-22 Ligue 1 season, as they are winless at home in this year's competition, conceding three goals in each of their last two games.
With just one victory after 12 domestic affairs, it is the fewest triumphs for this club at this stage of a top flight season since the 2005-06 campaign (0).
They have only won one match this season when scoring first, though last weekend Le RCS earned a point when trailing by two goals or more for the first time since May 4, 1997, when they drew Toulouse 2-2.
Strasbourg have gone through a tough stretch of results at home to Marseille lately, losing their last two matches played against them at Stade de la Meinau, which is as many as they had versus Les Olympiens in their 14 previous home fixtures against them (five wins and two draws).
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A series of close encounters domestically and in Europe have not gone the way of Olympique de Marseille in recent outings.
Igor Tudor has seen his side drop three consecutive domestic fixtures by a single goal, the longest losing streak for this club in Ligue 1 since April 2015 (four).
Their 1-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month was the first loss for Les Minots away from home in 2022-23 and the first time they failed to score in a domestic road fixture since falling 2-0 at Rennes in May of last season.
So far in 2022-23, Marseille have allowed the third-fewest goals in Ligue 1 (nine), conceding multiple times in only one encounter this season, losing 2-1 versus Ajaccio.
They have lost their last three domestic outings in which they conceded multiple goals and have not won in that scenario since edging Nantes 3-2 last season.
Les Olympiens have not suffered this many domestic defeats in October (three) since they were beaten three times this month in 2013-14.
Team News
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Lebo Mothiba picked up his first goal of the season for Strasbourg last weekend, while Kevin Gameiro scored for the second straight match away from home, helping his side earn a single point.
Stephan made two changes to his starting lineup against Toulouse as Dimitri Lienard and Adrien Thomasson replaced Ibrahima Sissoko and Thomas Delaine.
Ludovic Ajorque continues to miss time with a chest injury, Nordine Kandil is out with a sore foot and Karol Fila could be back in the lineup, having previously suffered a pulled groin.
Matteo Guendouzi notched the equaliser for Marseille in the Champions League this week before the reigning Europa League winners got a goal from former Nantes striker Randal Kolo Muani five minutes later to win the match for the Germans.
Pau Lopez has three clean sheets away from home in this domestic campaign, Alexis Sanchez is goalless in five consecutive league fixtures, while Gerson had a brace in their previous encounter against Strasbourg last season, when his side won 4-0.
Samuel Gigot missed their previous league game with a red card suspension, while Tudor made one change to his opening 11 against Lens from the side that began their match versus PSG as Sead Kolasinac replaced Eric Bailly at the back.
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Le Marchand, Nyamsi, Delaine; Lienard, Bellegarde, Prcic, Dagba; Thomasson; Diallo, Gameiro
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Mbemba, Balerdi, Kabore; Clauss, Rongier, Veretout, Tavares; Guendouzi, Payet; Sanchez
We say: Strasbourg 0-2 Marseille
Neither side have lived up to expectations of late, but Strasbourg look lost in the attacking third without Ajorque, while Marseille have been more disciplined and compact defensively away from home, and their attacking depth is much greater than their Alsatian counterparts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
