Real vs Marseille. H2H, lineups, and match prediction — September 16, 2025
On Tuesday, September 16, in the opening round of the Champions League, Real Madrid will host French side Marseille at home. For a detailed look at the teams’ form and a match prediction, read on below.
See also: Al Shorta vs Al-Sadd prediction and betting tips 15 September 2025
Match preview
Real are off to a flying start this season. Following a busy transfer window and the arrival of a new head coach, Los Blancos kicked off their league campaign with four consecutive wins: 1-0 over Osasuna, 3-0 against Oviedo, 2-1 over Mallorca, and a 2-1 away victory against Sociedad. As of matchday four, Real are the only La Liga side to have maintained a perfect record.
As always in the Champions League, the royal club will be playing at full throttle to reaffirm their status as tournament favorites. After a disappointing exit at the hands of Arsenal last year, Los Merengues are hungry to redeem themselves in front of their fans and restore pride within the squad.
Marseille, meanwhile, have had a mixed start to their campaign: two high-scoring wins (5-2 over Paris and 4-0 against Lorient) are offset by two narrow defeats where De Zerbi’s men failed to find the net—0-1 to Lyon and 0-1 to Rennes.
This is Marseille’s first group stage appearance since the 2022/23 season, following a three-year absence. Back then, they finished bottom of a group with Sporting, Eintracht, and Tottenham, collecting just six points from six matches. This new campaign will be a litmus test for how much the French side have progressed and whether they can compete on equal terms with Europe’s elite.
Probable lineups
Real: Courtois, Carvajal, Militão, Heisen, Carreras, Tchouaméni, Ceballos, Díaz, Güler, Vinícius, Mbappé
Marseille: De Lange, Murillo, Pavard, Aguerd, Medina, Gómez, Kondogbia, Greenwood, Nadir, Weah, Gouiri
Match facts and head-to-head
- The last time these teams met was in 2009, when Real won both matches: 3-1 and 3-0
- Real have won nine of their last ten matches
- Marseille have conceded in nine consecutive games out of their last ten
Prediction
Champions League, opening round—when both sides are expected to give their all for a result. Both teams are capable of scoring, but defensive lapses have been a recurring theme. My prediction: both teams to score – YES at 1.7 odds.
