Marseille vs Benfica tips and predictions: Benfica to hold out for valuable draw

The Portuguese outfit has a one-goal advantage after the first leg, but OM hope to overturn that deficit. The winner of this tie will face Atalanta or Liverpool in the semi-finals. 

Olympique Marseille didn’t play in the league, after the defeat in the first leg in Lisbon, so Jean-Louis Gasset had the time to prepare for the second leg.

PSG are the only team to win at the Velodrome this season, but the Portuguese team don’t necessarily need a win, as a draw would be enough.

Marseille’s last win was a month ago, on March 10, when they recorded their fifth straight win, beating Nantes 2-0.

They are now ninth in the league table, with 39 points, and they were recently surpassed by their rivals Lyon, who had a poor start to the season. 

The Europa League is the only competition Benfica can win this season. In the league, they are behind their local rivals Sporting, who beat them two rounds ago.

After that defeat they managed two wins, one against Marseille in the first leg, and a 3-0 win against Moreirense last weekend.

 

Key stats

- Olympique Marseille have lost their last five matches
- PSG are the only team to have won at the Velodrome this season
- There have been over 2.5 goals in Benfica’s last four matches
- Benfica have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine matches
- Both teams have scored in five of six meetings

 

Suggested bets

Both teams to score

Match result: Draw

• Sergiu Baltuta provides tips as SVB Tips on Tipstr