Last season, Olympique de Marseille made the Vélodrome a fortress, losing only once at home across all competitions. After kicking off the new season with an away game against Brest, Marseille is now preparing to welcome Reims for their first home match.
Under the management of De Zerbi, Marseille aims to start strong in front of their home fans, following a season that had its ups and downs.
While OM reached the Europa League semi-finals, where they were knocked out by Atalanta, their 8th place finish in Ligue 1 was underwhelming. With no European competition this season, Marseille has the chance to focus entirely on their domestic campaign, a challenge they are ready to take on.
Marseille’s summer preparations were encouraging, highlighted by a 3-1 win against Augsburg. In their Ligue 1 opener against Brest, De Zerbi’s new recruits shined, leading OM to a 5-1 victory, placing them at the top of the standings as they head into their second match.
Stade de Reims starts the new season with significant changes, including the appointment of new coach Luka Elsner, who replaces Will Still after his unexpected departure.
Elsner’s goal is to maintain or even improve the team’s performance, which started strong last season but ended in 9th place.
Reims had a mixed preseason, beginning with a 2-0 victory over Fleury-Mérogis, but facing challenges during their Japan tour, where they drew with Jubilo Iwata, suffered heavy losses to Shimizu S-Pulse and Kobe, and managed a win against Machida.
Reims wrapped up their preseason with a draw and a win against Auxerre. Despite their inconsistent preparation, Reims began the season with a 0-2 loss to Lille, a match marked by an early red card.
Marseille enters this season with a significantly revamped squad. Their defense has been strengthened by the arrivals of Achraf Dari from Brest, who returns after a suspension, and Bamo Meïté from Lorient. In midfield, Danish international Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, brought in from Tottenham, adds experience.
Up front, Mason Greenwood, on loan from Manchester United, made an immediate impact by scoring twice in the victory over Brest, despite the controversies surrounding his arrival.
To address issues in goal, OM signed De Lange from Go Ahead Eagles and Gerónimo Rulli from Ajax, with Rulli already proving his worth by saving a penalty in the last match.
Additionally, the club signed Cornelius from Molde to bolster the defense following the departures of key players like Samuel Gigot and Chancel Mbemba.
Other departures include Pape Gueye to Villarreal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Saudi Arabia, Jonathan Clauss to Nice, and Ismaïla Sarr to Crystal Palace.
Pol Lirola (returning from Fiorentina) and Mughe (back from Dunkirk) add depth to a squad still working on its cohesion.
However, new signings Carboni and Koné, who missed the first match due to injuries, may also be sidelined against Reims. On a positive note, Valentin Rongier has returned from a long absence, adding stability to the midfield.
Elye Wahi, a recent signing by Marseille, quickly made an impact by scoring his first goal for the club in the win against Brest.
Meanwhile, Reims has seen significant changes, including the departure of long-time captain Yunis Abdelhamid to Saint-Etienne.
The club also parted ways with defender Diakité (to Cercle Bruges) and midfielder Stambouli (released). However, young midfielder Adeline (back from a loan at Annecy) and striker Salama (on loan to Caen) are eager to make their mark this season. Reims strengthened their defense by signing central defender Kipré, who joined on a free transfer from West Bromwich Albion.
The starting lineup for Reims is expected to include key players such as Maltese international Teuma (6 goals, 3 assists), Munetsi (4 goals, 3 assists), and Japanese duo Nakamura (4 goals) and Ito (3 goals, 7 assists), along with striker Diakité (5 goals). However, Amadou Koné will miss the match against Marseille after receiving a red card in the game against Lille.
Prediction
Reims, having won just one of their last five games, have lost eight of their next ten Ligue 1 matches. In contrast, Marseille has won 13 of their last 20 home games at this level, and they will be confident of securing a victory against the struggling Reims.
Prediction: Marseille 2 : 0 Reims
