MX23RW : Tuesday, February 7 00:53:20| >> :120:11843:11843:
[monks data]
Feb 1, 2023 at 6pm UK at La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau
Nantes
0 - 2
Marseille

Traore (13'), Mollet (27'), Centonze (45+2'), Simon (67')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Victor (57' og.), Ounahi (90+3')
Malinovskyi (17'), Balerdi (79'), Lopez (87')

Preview: Nantes vs. Marseille - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Ligue 1 clash between Nantes and Marseille, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Marseille will be looking to keep pace with the front-runners in the Ligue 1 title race when they travel to an in-form Nantes side on Wednesday night.

Nantes are yet to taste defeat since returning from the World Cup break, whereas Marseille have not lost in the French top flight since October.


Match preview

Ludovic Blas celebrates scoring for Nantes on November 3, 2022© Reuters

Nantes played out a second 0-0 draw in their last three Ligue 1 matches on Sunday afternoon at Stade Gabriel Montpied against Clermont Foot, a result which extended the team's unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions.

Remarkably, Antoine Kombouare's men have managed to record seven straight clean sheets since returning from the unprecedented month-long hiatus due to matters in Qatar, with only Paris Saint-Germain and Lens keeping more so far this season in Ligue 1.

That impeccable defensive record so far this calendar year has allowed Les Canaris to pick up a respectable amount of points in 2023, although their inability to string together successive wins has hampered their chances of competing at the top end of the standings.

Kombouare's side have won just four of their 20 matches in Ligue 1 during this campaign, with only Strasbourg, Auxerre and Angers having won fewer fixtures in the division.

Mostafa Mohamed and Moses Simon both have a respectable five goals in the league this season, but last term's ninth-placed team only have six other players who have registered a Ligue 1 strike in this current campaign, showing that there is room for improvement in the Nantes attack.

Marseille's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring their second goal on January 14, 2023© Reuters

Marseille are doing their utmost to challenge PSG and surprise package Lens at the top of the Ligue 1 standings this season, with Igor Tudor's men currently five points behind the league leaders PSG who are fronted by Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

Les Phoceens lost ground on their title rivals in their last league match, however, after being forced to share the spoils with Monaco at Orange Velodrome on Saturday night.

The visitors that day were handed an early lead due to a Jordan Veretout own goal, but Tudor's side were able to equalise in the second half courtesy of Chilean Alexis Sanchez, who has now netted in back-to-back Ligue 1 appearances.

With a tricky last-16 tie against PSG coming up in the Coupe de France, Marseille know that they will have to beat the very best of French football if they are to win any silverware this season and pick up their first league trophy since the 2009-10 season.

Les Olympiens have been excellent travellers in the league so far this campaign having lost just once in 10 outings, with that solitary defeat coming at Parc des Princes in October.

Nantes Ligue 1 form:


Nantes form (all competitions):


Marseille Ligue 1 form:


Marseille form (all competitions):



Team News

Jonathan Clauss scores for Marseille on September 30, 2022© Reuters

Nantes will continue to have limited options at left-back on Wednesday, with 20-year-old Quentin Merlin sidelined until March with a groin injury sustained in the draw with Lyon, meaning Jaouen Hadjam is set to make only his second league start of the season.

Denis Petric and Nicolas Pallois are expected to be back in action at the start of February after their hip and knee injuries respectively, although Wednesday's match is likely to come too soon for the duo.

Marseille will remain without centre-back Eric Bailly as the Manchester United loanee continues to serve a five-match suspension for a horror tackle during the Coupe de France victory at fourth-tier Hyeres, leaving Sead Kolasinac, Samuel Gigot and Leonardo Balerdi to make up the back three.

Wing-back Jonathan Clauss is still a few weeks away from returning to action after picking up a groin injury in the win at Montpellier at the start of January, an absence that has been felt on the right side of the Marseille side in recent matches.

Second-choice goalkeeper Ruben Blanco will regain his place in the XI with fellow Spaniard Pau Lopez out with a muscle injury - the 28-year-old is hopeful of being available for selection sometime next month.

Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Centonze, Castelletto, Girotto, Hadjam; Sissoko, Chirivella, Moutoussamy; Blas, Simon, Mohamed

Marseille possible starting lineup:
Blanco; Balerdi, Gigot, Kolasinac; Under, Rongier, Veretout, Tavares; Malinovskyi, Guendouzi, Sanchez


SM words green background

We say: Nantes 0-1 Marseille

Nantes continued their perfect defensive record in 2023 on the weekend with a stalemate at Clermont Foot, but now face a Marseille team who have scored in each of their last 12 matches in all competitions.

Tudor's side know that they cannot afford to drop points in successive fixtures if they are to challenge PSG and Lens for the title this season, and we expect them to earn maximum points at Stade de la Beaujoire on Wednesday night.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:curl

ID:505423:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect15122:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Nantes vs Marseille

Nantes
13.6%
Draw
15.9%
Marseille
70.5%
88
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Brighton & Hove Albion's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring against Chelsea on October 29, 2022
Read Next:
Shirt numbers available to Leandro Trossard at Arsenal
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG22173254173754
2Marseille22144443202346
3Lens22137234161846
4MonacoMonaco22135448291944
5Rennes22124641251640
6Lille22115638271138
7Lorient2210663534136
8Nice229762721634
9Lyon229583324932
10Reims2261242626030
11Clermont228682429-530
12Toulouse228593638-229
13NantesNantes2251072326-325
14Brest2248102435-1120
15Montpellier HSCMontpellier2262143145-1420
16Troyes2247113348-1519
17StrasbourgStrasbourg2239102739-1218
18Ajaccio2253141839-2118
19Auxerre2235141846-2814
20Angers2223171847-299

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Match previews - Daily
Transfer Talk Daily
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!