Ligue 1 | Gameweek 8

Oct 20, 2024 at 7.45pm UK

Stade de la Mosson

Montpellier vs Marseille

Match preview

Montpellier have won a French title more recently than Marseille, but they are currently a long way off achieving a similar feat.

Only in 2015-16 did Montpellier have a worse start to the season in Ligue 1 - taking just one point - and this season they have taken just four points from their opening seven games, threatening their 15-year stay in the top flight.

A defence that has conceded more goals than a Saint-Etienne side that has lost 8-0 is a clear indicator of why, with Montpellier's backline currently the most vulnerable in Ligue 1 with 21 goals conceded.

On the plus side, however, all four of their points have come at home, with a 3-2 win over Auxerre in their last outing here making up the bulk of that tally.

However, it has been 18 months since Montpellier won back-to-back league games at home, when they defeated relegated duo Angers and Clermont in the 2022-23 season.

Marseille are also unlikely opponents for Montpellier, having failed to win any of the last 10 meetings between the two sides.

Between 1989 and 1994, Montpellier went 10 games without a win against Marseille, but that record has never been extended to 11, so Michel Der Zakarian's side will be keen to avoid making unwanted history.

The visitors will not be in the best of form, however, after a couple of underwhelming results just before the international break.

Roberto De Zerbi's men have taken just one point from their last two games, the last of which came against bottom side Angers a week after losing away to Strasbourg.

These results came as a huge surprise after OM pulled off a miraculous 3-2 win over Lyon in the Derby des Olympique, despite playing 85 minutes with 10 men.

That took Marseille's tally to 13 points from five games, but their last two results have seen them fall behind Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco at the top of the table.

Their away form has also been less than ideal, with Marseille losing six of their 12 Ligue 1 games away from home in 2024, and they could end up with the worst away record in a decade if they are beaten again.

It is not all doom and gloom just yet, however, as Marseille have a chance to put things right over the next two weeks.

Sitting three points behind PSG will spur De Zerbi's men on to more victories ahead of Le Classique at the Stade Velodrome next weekend, one of the most important fixtures in the French calendar, and back-to-back wins will put them back in contention for the title.

Recent Performance

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:

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Marseille Ligue 1 form:

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Injuries and suspensions

Montpellier

27 Becir Omeragic

4 Kiki Kouyaté

6 Christopher Jullien

13 Joris Chotard

9 Mousa Tamari

70 Tanguy Coulibaly

14 Othmane Maamma

28 Glenn Ngosso

Marseille

36 Rubén Blanco

3 Quentin Merlin

51 Ismaël Koné

7 Valentín Carboni

14 Faris Moumbagna

Possible starting lineups

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Bertaud; Sacko, Dzodic, Omeragic, Mincarelli; Toure, Chotard, Savanier; Nordin, Adams, Coulibaly

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Cornelius, Garcia; Hojbjerg, Kondogbia; Greenwood, Harit, Luis Henrique; Rowe