:Headline: Preview: Marseille vs. Nice - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Ligue 1 clash between Marseille and Nice, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two teams chasing European football in Ligue 1 will face off on Wednesday night when Marseille welcome Nice to Stade Velodrome.
The hosts are without a win in their last four matches and are seven points behind the visitors with five matches left for both sides to play.
Match preview
Marseille's winless run extended to four matches after they could only salvage a 2-2 draw with Toulouse, further denting their European ambitions.
Jean Onana gave Les Olympiens the lead, but they conceded an equaliser in first-half stoppage time, going into half-time level. They then fell behind with eight minutes remaining in normal time before Faris Moumbagna rescued a point for them six minutes into stoppage time.
Marseille are in ninth place and now have 40 points from 29 matches, six points adrift of the Europa Conference League spot. While they are in the Europa League semi-final against Atalanta in May, their aim will be to secure European qualification for next season via league position, in case they fail to win the Europa League.
However, their next opponents have beaten them in their last two meetings. Defeat on Wednesday would be the first time ever that Marseille would lose three consecutive matches to Nice.
Jean-Louis Gasset's men have also been defensively leaky in recent times, conceding more than one goal in each of their last four league matches – as many times as in their previous 23 matches combined. This is their longest such run in the 21st century.
Marseille will hope to restore their dominance over Les Aiglons, having won 58 of their 110 matches against them in Ligue 1. This is the highest total wins by a team against the same opponent in France's top-flight.
Nice's season has taken a turn for the worse in the last two months, as the team that once looked likely to qualify for Europe now risk missing out altogether.
Les Aiglons have won just two, drawn two and lost five of their last nine Ligue 1 matches, dropping from second place to fifth in the table within that period. They are six points off Brest, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot, and five points adrift of Lille in fourth place with just five games left to play.
After losing 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Nantes, Nice played out a goalless draw with Reims before returning to winning ways last time out with a 3-0 victory over Lorient.
A win on Wednesday would see Francesco Farioli's side increase the gap between them and sixth-placed Lens to four points. They could also reduce the gap between them and fourth-placed Lille, who face second-placed Monaco on the same night.
Since winning four consecutive matches between October and November, Les Aiglons have not enjoyed successive victories in the league, but they have an opportunity to achieve this feat again after their win over Lorient.
Marseille Ligue 1 form:
- W
- W
- L
- L
- L
- D
Marseille form (all competitions):
Nice Ligue 1 form:
- L
- L
- W
- L
- D
- W
Nice form (all competitions):
- L
- L
- W
- L
- D
- W
Team News
Since picking up a hamstring on international duty, Ismaila Sarr has not played for Les Olympiens in over a month and is not expected to be fit for Wednesday.
The pair of Bamo Meite and Bilal Nadir are out of the season with injuries and now both targeting next term for returns.
Right-back Jonathan Clauss is also out with a hamstring issue, while Valentin Rongier and Chancel Mbemba have knee problems.
Nice attacker Sofiane Diop is ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing foot surgery, while Valentin Rosier is sidelined with a thigh injury.
Top scorer Terem Moffi is expected to lead the line, while Mohamed-Ali Cho and Jeremie Boga could provide support from the flanks.
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Garcia, Balerdi, Gueye, Murillo; Onana, Ounahi, Veretout; Ndiaye, Correa, Aubameyang
Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Lotomba, Todibo, Dante, Bard; Sanson, Rosario, Thuram; Cho, Moffi, Boga
We say: Marseille 1-1 Nice
Marseille have been on a poor run but they remain solid on home soil, only behind two sides for points won at home. Nice have been inconsistent in the past two months and have not looked like the same side that started the league. Considering these factors, we think that this will be a close affair and we are expecting a draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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