Royal Union SG – Marseille: Who will prevail in the battle for the playoffs?
In the sixth round of the UEFA Champions League, Royal Union SG face Marseille. The match will take place on Tuesday, 9 December, with kickoff at 21:00 CET. I have a betting suggestion for this fixture.
Royal Union SG – Marseille: Match facts and head-to-head
- In their last five matches, both Royal Union SG and Marseille have lost only once.
- At home, Union SG are unbeaten in their previous four games.
- Marseille have lost three of their last five away fixtures.
- Union SG have won 38% of their matches this season without conceding, compared with 30% for Marseille.
- Marseille have suffered more defeats without scoring this season: 20% compared with Union SG’s 17%.
- These two sides have never faced each other before.
Royal Union SG – Marseille: Match preview
Union SG enter the decisive round with six points from five Champions League matches and remain firmly in the race for the knockout stage. They opened the campaign by beating PSV 3–1, but then suffered three consecutive defeats, conceding 11 goals and scoring only once across those games. In their previous European outing, the Belgians edged Galatasaray 1–0. Domestically, Union SG top the league table with 37 points after 17 rounds, holding a four-point advantage over second place.
Marseille have collected 29 points from their last 15 Ligue 1 fixtures and currently sit third, still pushing for the top and trailing first place by five points. Their Champions League run began with a 1–2 loss to Real Madrid, followed by a dominant 4–0 win over Ajax and another setback. First a 1–2 defeat to Sporting, then a 0–1 loss to Atalanta. Only in the fifth round did they manage a comeback, overturning a 0–1 deficit to beat Newcastle 2–1 at home. They sit on six points with a goal difference of 8–6, placing them 21st in the Champions League standings.
Probable lineups
- Union SG: Scherpen; Mac Allister, Burgess, Sykes; Boufal, Zorgane, Van de Perre, Niang; Ait El Hadj; Rodriguez, Akinpelu
- Marseille: Rulli; Pavard, Balerdi, Palmieri; Weah, O’Riley, Hojbjerg, Gomes, Paixao; Aubameyang, Greenwood
Prediction
A high-stakes, demanding match awaits both sides as they battle for a playoff spot. Union SG are a strong home team and should have their chances. I expect the Belgians to avoid defeat in front of their own supporters.
