Beşiktaş perfect at home, Marseille on a three-game losing run: Beşiktaş vs Marseille prediction
The first-round league-phase clash between «Beşiktaş» and «Marseille» will take place on September 17 at Beşiktaş Stadium. The Turkish club have made a confident start to the season under Vincenzo Italiano, while the French side head into their European fixture after three consecutive Ligue 1 defeats.
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Beşiktaş: a perfect home run
Vincenzo Italiano’s side have won nine of their 11 competitive matches this season and successfully navigated the Europa League qualifiers. Beşiktaş have also made a strong start domestically, collecting 12 points after five rounds.
Their home form has been particularly impressive: the Istanbul side have won all six of their competitive matches on home soil, keeping five clean sheets in the process. Dusan Vlahovic is once again expected to lead the attack after scoring four goals in his last two matches before being suspended in the league.
Marseille: three defeats after a bright start
Bruno Génésio began his tenure with a 4-0 win over «Strasbourg», but Marseille then lost 0-2 to «Monaco», 2-3 to «Paris» and 0-1 to «Rennes». As a result, the team have slipped into the bottom half of the Ligue 1 table.
The visitors still possess considerable attacking firepower thanks to Amine Gouiri and Igor Paixão. However, the absence of Geoffrey Kondogbia and Tochukwu Nnadi limits their options in midfield ahead of a difficult trip to Istanbul.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Beşiktaş have won all six of their competitive home matches this season.
- The Istanbul side have kept clean sheets in five of those six home games.
- Marseille have lost their last three Ligue 1 matches in a row.
The hosts’ home form looks like the decisive factor: Beşiktaş vs Marseille prediction
Marseille have plenty of quality in their ranks, but their current losing streak and problems in midfield make this away trip especially challenging. Beşiktaş, meanwhile, are far more confident at home and rarely allow opponents to create a high volume of chances.
If the Istanbul side maintain their current defensive solidity, the visitors could face major problems in front of goal. Given the teams’ current form, the hosts look more likely to secure a convincing victory.
