Marseille vs Basel betting tips: UEFA Europa Conference League preview

Recommended bets

Marseille have won three consecutive European matches, doing so for the first time in 12 years. OM have never lost at home to a Swiss side, winning two and drawing two.

Both teams to score NO is 10.11.

Marseille to win and both teams to score NO is 7/4.

Dimitri Payet has scored nine goals in UEFA competition for OM. He is 5/1 to break the deadlock and 9/5 to score anytime.

Match preview

Olympique Marseille v RB Leipzig - UEFA Europa League Quarter Final Leg Two MARSEILLE, FRANCE - APRIL 12: Dimitri Payet is tackled by Emil Forsberg (R) of RB Leipzig during the UEFA Europa League quarter final leg two match between Olympique Marseille and RB Leipzig at Stade Velodrome on April 12, 2018 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Will Olympique de Marseille stay on course to reach this season's final at Arena Kombëtare?

Les Phocéens are the only French club to be crowned European champions, beating A.C. Milan in the Champions League Final of 1993.

But, in more recent times, due to PSG's monopolisation of French honours, Marseille haven't won any silverware since lifting the Coupe de la Ligue a decade ago.

In the intervening period, they've lost in the 2016 Coupe de France Final, against PSG, and the Europa League Final two years later to Atlético Madrid.

But, as the current second-favourites to win the Europa Conference League, this competition is a fantastic opportunity to end the trophy draught.

Jorge Sampaoli's side are only in this tournament because they finished third in their Europa League group, with just one victory to their name.

Galatasaray and Lazio took the top two spots in Group E with Lokomotiv Moskva, the only side OM managed to beat, ending up rock bottom.

Nevertheless, Marseille took to this competition like a duck to water, hammering Qarabağ 6-1 in the first knockout round.

Arkadiusz Milik with a brace at home before Pape Gueye, Mattéo Guendouzi and Konrad de la Fuente all netted in Azerbaijan.

Domestically though, les Olympiens are in terrible form, losing 1-0 to Monaco on Sunday night, meaning they're now winless in three.

This has seen Marseille drop down to third in Ligue 1 with Stade Rennais just one point behind in the race for Champions League places.

Will they get back on track with a first leg victory in Europe?

FC Basel meanwhile dominated Swiss football for almost a decade, winning eight straight titles between 2010 and 2017.

However, BSC Young Boys have been crowned champions in each of the last four campaigns with Basel consign to second or third place finishes.

Right now, Guille Abascal's side are third in the Swiss Super League, a whopping 15 points behind run-away leaders FC Zürich.

Despite this, RotBlau's European record remains strong, reaching the Champions League last 16 in 2018 and the Europa League quarter-finals two years later.

This season, Basel had to come through three qualifiers, seeing off Partizani Tirana, Újpest and then Hammarby in a penalty shootout.

They then cruised to top spot of Group H, amassing 14 points against Qarabağ, Omonia and Kairat; some long trips in there.

However, this'll be a much sterner test than any of those, so will Marseille make home advantage count at Stade Vélodrome?

Olympique Marseille team news

Olympique Marseille v Galatasaray: Group E - UEFA Europa League MARSEILLE, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 30: Matteo Guendouzi of Marseille during the UEFA Europa League group E match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Galatasaray SK at Stade Velodrome on September 30, 2021 in Marseille, France. (Photo by John Berry/Getty Images)

Midfielder Pape Gueye, who scored away to Qarabağ, was also booked in Baku so will miss this first leg due to suspension.

Bamba Dieng, Álvaro González, Boubacar Kamara, Dimitri Payet, Luan Peres would all miss the return meeting in Switzerland if shown a yellow card here.

Jorge Sampaoli does like to switch between a back three and four but, whatever the system, Arsenal loanee William Saliba is a key figure at the back.

Further back, club legend Steve Mandanda, who's made 602 appearances for OM, is no longer the first-choice goalkeeper; that is Pau López.

Other key defensive components are centre-back Duje Ćaleta-Car and midfield duo Boubacar Kamara alongside Mattéo Guendouzi.

Further forward, the debate in France is about whether Dimitri Payet and Arkadiusz Milik can play together.

Despite this, both star players will start, flanked by two of Cédric Bakambu, Gerson or Konrad de la Fuente.

Cengiz Ünder missed the weekend's game so it's unknown if he'll be back.

Basel team news

FC Basel v Manchester City - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg BASEL, SWITZERLAND - FEBRUARY 13: General view inside the stadium showing the FC Basel club badge painted on the grass before the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Basel and Manchester City at St. Jakob-Park on February 13, 2018 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Guillermo Abascal is short of defenders right now with Andy Pelmard, Albian Hajdari, Raoul Petretta and Andrea Padula all sidelined.

No players are suspended but experienced defender Fabian Frei and Pajtim Kasami, once of Fulham, would be if booked.

Taulant Xhaka is the midfield general of this team, alongside club captain Valentin Stocker.

Up front, they have options, namely Fyodor Chalov, who scored on Sunday, or, alternatively, Sebastiano Esposito or Ádám Szalai.

Ligue 1 table:

Swiss Super League table:

- 101 Great Goals may earn commission from links on this page. Our content is always original. Note that all of our reviewers are compensated for contributing content to 101 Great Goals. Learn more.