Feyenoord vs Olympique Marseille betting tips: Europa Conference League semi-final first leg preview, predictions and odds

By Ben Gray Published: April 25, 2022 3:02 pm

Feyenoord Rotterdam

3

-

2

Olympique Marseille

Match ended

Show players

Hendrix, Jorrit

90'

Til, Guus
Pedersen, Marcus Holmgren

89'

86'

Saliba, William
Lirola, Pol

85'

Rongier, Valentin
Milik, Arkadiusz

84'

Harit, Amine

Dessers, Cyriel
Jahanbakhsh, Alireza

82'

Kokcu, Orkun
Hendrix, Jorrit

82'

Geertruida, Lutsharel

79'

69'

Caleta-Car, Duje
Harit, Amine

Nelson, Reiss
Linssen, Bryan

65'

Dessers, Cyriel

46'

46'

Bakambu, Cedric
Gueye, Pape Alassane

40'

Gerson

Malacia, Tyrell

37'

28'

Dieng, Bamba

Sinisterra, Luis

20'

Dessers, Cyriel

18'

Starting lineup

Marciano, Ofir21

Geertruida, Lutsharel3

Trauner, Gernot18

Senesi, Marcos4

Malacia, Tyrell5

Til, Guus26

Aursnes, Fredrik17

Kokcu, Orkun10

Dessers, Cyriel33

Sinisterra, Luis7

Nelson, Reiss14

30Mandanda, Steve

21Rongier, Valentin

2Saliba, William

15Caleta-Car, Duje

14Luan Peres

8Gerson

4Kamara, Boubacar

6Guendouzi, Matteo

12Dieng, Bamba

10Payet, Dimitri

13Bakambu, Cedric

Substitutes

Janssen, Thijs30

Cojocaru, Valentin16

Hall, Denzel32

Hendriks, Ramon25

Hendrix, Jorrit6

Walemark, Patrik23

Sandler, Philippe13

Pedersen, Marcus Holmgren2

Linssen, Bryan11

Jahanbakhsh, Alireza9

1Ngapandouetnbu, Simon

16Lopez, Pau

81Said M Madi, Yakine

29Lirola, Pol

23Kolasinac, Sead

7Harit, Amine

22Gueye, Pape Alassane

46Benyahia-Tani, Aylan

31Bertelli, Ugo

17Under, Cengiz

9Milik, Arkadiusz

Recommended bets

Feyenoord have only won one of eight matches against French clubs, beating Stade de Reims 2-1 on aggregate in 1963. The Dutch giants have never lost a Europa Conference League home match, winning seven and drawing the other.  

This’ll be Olympique Marseille’s eighth semi-final in UEFA competition, winning five of seven to date. OM have won two of four knockout ties against Dutch opposition, with both victories coming in 2009, against FC Twente and Ajax.

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Both teams to score is 8/13.

Draw and both teams to score is 10/3.

Luis Sinisterra is 11/2 to break the deadlock and 13/8 to add to his ten Europa Conference League goals.

Dimitri Payet has scored four times in Europe this season, taking his tally to 14 in UEFA club competitions. He’s 15/2 to open the scoring and 9/4 to score anytime.

Feyenoord to draw 1-1 with Olympique de Marseille- 6/1!

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Match preview

MARSEILLE, FRANCE – OCTOBER 28: Fans wave flares and flags during the ligue 1 match between Olympique de Marseille fans and Paris Saint Germain at Stade Velodrome on October 28, 2018 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Guillaume Ruoppollo – OM/Getty Images)

Many were sceptical about the new UEFA Europa Conference League, but what a semi-final line-up this competition has produced in it’s debut year.

On the other side of the draw, AS Roma take on Leicester City, while this tie is a heavyweight clash between two former European champions.

Olympique de Marseille remain the only French European Cup winners, beating A.C. Milan 1-0 in the final 29 years ago.

However, due to PSG’s monopolisation of domestic honours, OM haven’t lifted any silverware since beating Lyon in the 2012 Coupe de la Ligue Final.

Thus, since dropping down from the Europa League in December, Jorge Sampaoli’s side have gone all out to win this competition.

Les Phocéens have won all six knockout matches, getting past Qarabağ 6-1, FC Basel 4-2 and then PAOK 3-1.

Dimitri Payet scoring in both legs of the previous round, bagged a stunning volley at home before tapping home from close-range in Thessaloniki.

This is the first time Marseille have won seven connective European games and this’ll be their seventh UEFA semi-final, equalling the French record held by Monaco and PSG.

Domestically, les Olympiens are still second in Ligue 1 following Sunday night’s 1-0 win at Reins.

This means, so far, they’ve won 11 of 17 away league games (65%), their best win-rate in a top-flight campaign ever.

Will Marseille’s fantastic form, both domestically and abroad, continue in Rotterdam?

Feyenoord meanwhile were the first Dutch European Cup winners, beating Celtic in 1970, and have since lifted the UEFA Cup in 1974 and 2002.

Now, through to their first European semi-final since the latter, they’re dreaming of becoming the maiden Europa Conference League champions.

Arne Slot’s side have already played 16 matches in this season’s competition, beginning in the second qualifying round last July.

But, since topping their group, they’ve been involved in two thrilling knockout ties, ousting Partizan Belgrade 8-3 and Slavia Praha 6-4.

A fortnight ago, in the Czech capital, Cyriel Dessers’ brace helped his side to a 3-1 victory that saw off Slavia.

In the Eredivisie, Luis Sinisterra’s 96th minute winner saw them beat Utrecht 2-1 on Sunday, securing a third league win in a row.

As a result they remain third, seven points below PSV Eindhoven and three clear of Twente.

Here, who will claim a first leg lead at De Kuip?

Feyenoord team news

ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – APRIL 7: Taras Kacharaba of Slavia Prague, Cyriel Dessers of Feyenoord during the Quarter Finals UEFA Europa Conference League between Feyenoord and Slavia Prague at De Kuip on April 7, 2022 in Rotterdam, Netherlands (Photo by Herman Dingler/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Arne Slot’s team are not at full strength right now.

They’re missing first-choice goalkeeper Justin Bijlow and star centre-back Marcos Senesi due to foot and groin injuries respectively.

Also, midfielders Jens Toornstra, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Guus Til, who scored a hat-trick against FC Drita in qualifying, are all out too.

So, Ofir Marciano will continue to deputise in goal with Marcus Holmgren Pedersen coming in alongside Gernot Trauner at the back.

Orkun Kökçü will look to dictate midfield and get the ball forward to their dangerous front line.

Colombian Luis Sinisterra has scored 12 European goals for Feyenoord, ten of which have come this season.

Just three players have netted more times in UEFA club competition for the Dutch giants.

They are: Lex Schoenmaker, Willem van Hanegem and Theo de Jong, all of whom played for the club at some point during the 1970s.

Alongside Sinisterra, Cyriel Dessers will lead the line but, on the right-wing, Patrik Wålemark could displace Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson.

Olympique Marseille team news

Dimitri Payet celebrates after scoring a goal during the Europa Conference League quarter final match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and PAOK Saloniki at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France on April 7, 2022. (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)

In contrast, Jorge Sampaoli’s squad is pretty much at full strength.

Steve Mandanda has now made 608 appearances for Marseille, by far the most of any player in the club’s history.

In the PAOK away game, the 37 year old made five saves and kept a clean sheet, his best performance in that regard since September 2019.

At the other end of the pitch, Dimitri Payet was rested on Sunday, but will return to attack, alongside Cengiz Ünder and Arkadiusz Milik.

Duje Ćaleta-Car was also left in reserve against Reims, but will come back in at centre-back, alongside William Saliba.

Gerson was sent off in the quarter-final first leg but is available again after serving his one-match ban.

Eredivisie table:

Ligue 1 table:

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