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

Fresh from a dominant European victory in midweek, Marseille return to Ligue 1 action with a trip to a lowly Troyes outfit on Sunday afternoon.

While Les Olympiens were busy thrashing Qarabag in the Europa Conference League, Troyes have had a week to mull over their 4-1 defeat to Rennes.

Match preview

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Serhou Guirassy has been forced to wait patiently for his opportunities to shine in the Rennes XI this term, but unfortunately for Troyes supporters, the 25-year-old picked their side to produce the good against last week.

Guirassy had a brace to his name by the 20-minute mark, and while Ike Ugbo managed to pull one back for Troyes before half time, Martin Terrier and Gaetan Laborde extended Rennes' margin of victory in the second 45 minutes.

Having lost the battle of the Brunos with Bruno Genesio, Troyes head coach Bruno Irles is already preparing his side for an imminent relegation battle, with the 17th-placed hosts one of four sides sitting on a league-low 21 points after 25 games.

Troyes's slightly superior goal difference has helped them stave off the threat of Bordeaux, Metz and Lorient for the time being, but similar displays to that of the Rennes defeat will do them no favours in that regard, and they have now taken just one point from the last 12 on offer in Ligue 1.

After a relatively solid autumnal period at the Stade de l'Aube, Troyes are now winless at home in five in all competitions and have failed to score in each of their last two, so Irles will need no less than a miracle to engineer a shock win here.

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It may not be long before Marseille swap the third-tier Conference League for the bright lights of the Champions League, but Jorge Sampaoli's side stuck to the task at hand and eased into the last-16 with a 6-1 aggregate win over Qarabag.

After claiming a healthy 3-1 lead in the first leg, Pape Gueye, Matteo Guendouzi and Konrad de la Fuente were on target to ensure that Marseille's continental run would continue, with Basel now awaiting Les Olympiens in the last 16.

Such a ruthless showing was much-needed after a dismal 2-0 home defeat to Clermont in their most recent Ligue 1 game, but Marseille still occupy the runners-up spot as things stand - 13 points adrift of runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

A four-point chasm separates second-placed Marseille from Strasbourg in fourth despite their shock home loss last week, and Les Olympiens can boast the tag of away day specialists having won six of their last seven Ligue 1 encounters away from home.

A 1-0 win for Marseille earlier in the 2021-22 season represented their third victory on the bounce over Troyes, whose only win in their last 14 attempts against Les Olympiens in all competitions came via the same scoreline in October 2012.

Team News

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Troyes have no fresh injury concerns to work around from the Rennes defeat, but the club have suspended attacker Gerson Rodrigues amid concerns over his attitude and off-field behaviour.

Renaud Ripart, Hyun-Jun Suk and Karim Azamoum continue their spells out of action through injury, and Irles will naturally consider some alterations after a dismal Roazhon Park showing.

Having increased his run of games without a goal to 11 matches last week, Mama Balde could potentially be sacrificed up top as Lebo Mothiba eyes a chance to impress.

As for Marseille, Sampaoli is once again spoiled for choice with no players out injured or suspended, and the Argentine therefore has some tough calls to make this weekend.

Pau Lopez ought to take the place of Steve Mandanda in goal, and Cedric Bakambu's place is at risk after an early substitution in the Conference League, with Arkadiusz Milik on standby.

Sampaoli has publicly announced his reluctance to start former Arsenal man Sead Kolasinac while he adapts to French football, with Luan Peres's spot at left-back safe for now.

Troyes possible starting lineup:
Gallon; Kabore, Palmer-Brown, Rami, Salmier, Kone; Kouame, Tardieu; Chavalerin; Mothiba, Ugbo

Marseille possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Lirola, Saliba, Caleta-Car, Peres; Guendouzi, Kamara, Gerson; Payet, De la Fuente; Milik

We say: Troyes 0-3 Marseille

After a minor blip at the Orange Velodrome, Marseille responded in perfect fashion in midweek and should have no problem replicating such a performance against a leaky Troyes backline.

Sampaoli may be forced into some alterations after the long journey back from Baku, but with an enviable array of talent on the bench ready and waiting, a Troyes side low on confidence ought to be humbled.

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