Marseille Hit by Injuries as Angers Aim to Spoil Velodrome Fortress
Olympique de Marseille are gearing up for their Ligue 1 clash against Angers, but preparations haven’t gone entirely to plan. The French giants are dealing with a growing injury list ahead of the game, with club captain Leonardo Balerdi now officially ruled out. Manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that the Argentine defender suffered a minor calf problem before their previous match against Lens, and the medical staff decided not to risk him. He’ll be joining fellow Argentine Facundo Medina on the sidelines, along with several other first-team regulars.
Geoffrey Kondogbia, Timothy Weah, Hamed Junior Traoré, and Amine Gouiri are all unavailable as well, leaving Marseille’s squad stretched thin. To make matters more complicated, Robinio Vaz is expected to be dropped after an ineffective performance against Lens, paving the way for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to return to the starting lineup and lead the attack. There’s also talk that CJ Egan-Riley could be handed a start in defence ahead of France international Benjamin Pavard, who hasn’t looked at his sharpest lately.
Even with these absences, Marseille remain a dominant force at home. Roberto De Zerbi’s men have turned the Stade Vélodrome into a fortress this season, winning every single home game so far and scoring 20 goals across five matches. If they manage another victory against Angers, it would mark the first time since 2003 that they’ve won their first five home league fixtures. The numbers are impressive — they’ve found the back of the net in nine consecutive home Ligue 1 matches and have gone unbeaten in eight straight home encounters against Angers.
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However, Angers aren’t coming into this game quietly. After a difficult start to October, they’ve managed to build some momentum, collecting four points in their last two matches. A 2-0 win over Lorient last weekend lifted their confidence, and manager Alexandre Dujeux will be hoping his side can extend that unbeaten run to three games — which would equal their best stretch of the year.
Still, their away form tells a different story. Angers have struggled on the road, earning just one point from their last five away matches. Their last win at Marseille came all the way back in 2015, though they did manage to scrape a 1-1 draw in this fixture last season.
Marseille’s predicted lineup is expected to feature Geronimo Rulli in goal, with Emerson, Nayef Aguerd, CJ Egan-Riley, and Michael Murillo across the back. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Arthur Vermeeren will anchor the midfield, supported by Igor Paixão, Angel Gomes, and Mason Greenwood behind Aubameyang up front.
Angers, meanwhile, could line up with Herve Koffi in goal, behind a defence of Arcus, Camara, Lefort, and Ekomie. In midfield, Courcoul and Belkebla will aim to disrupt Marseille’s rhythm, while Balkhdim, Mouton, and Sbai support young striker Sidiki Cherif.
Despite the injuries, Marseille’s home form and attacking power make them firm favourites. Angers will have to produce something special to break through the wall that the Vélodrome has become this season.
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