Get a preview of the exciting match of Panathinaikos vs Marseille. Check out the match details, team news, playing 11, and our prediction.
In the race to enter the prestigious Champions League group stages, powerful French team Marseille faces off against Panathinaikos from Greece in the qualifying third-round first leg.
Panathinaikos, the Greek team, has already shown its strength by defeating Ukraine’s Dnipro-1 with a combined score of 5-3. Now they welcome Marseille to their home stadium, Leoforos Alexandras Stadium in Athens.
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Panathinaikos vs Marseille Match Preview
Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, teams from the country have had to play their “home” games on neutral ground. Panathinaikos used this situation to their advantage when they faced Dnipro-1 in the previous round.
In the first leg, Panathinaikos played in Slovakia and won with a score of 3-1. Then, for the second leg in Athens, they needed to avoid a big loss to advance. They managed to hold off Dnipro’s attempts at a comeback and secured their place in the next round.
However, reaching the Champions League group stages has been challenging for Panathinaikos in recent years. Their last two attempts in 2014-15 and 2015-16 stopped at the third round. They did make it to the playoff round in 2012-13 but couldn’t go further.
Marseille, a top team from the French league Ligue 1, hasn’t had the best record in recent Champions League campaigns. In the 2022-23 season, they finished fourth in their group, failing to reach the knockout stages for the third time in a row.
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Despite their recent struggles, they have another chance this season. They secured a third-place finish in the Ligue 1, giving them a shot at the Champions League again. However, their form towards the end of the season was not great, and they missed out on automatic qualification for the group stage. Now, under their new coach Marcelino, they need to go through the qualifying rounds. Their pre-season matches were a mixed bag, with wins and losses against different teams.
Panathinaikos vs Marseille Team News
Panathinaikos doesn’t have any fitness concerns as they prepare for the match. One player to watch is Sebastian Palacios, who faces competition for his spot on the team.
Marseille has made some new signings, including striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. They are adapting to a new attacking style. Injuries are a concern for them, with one player potentially missing due to a calf issue.
Panathinaikos vs Marseille Possible Lineups
Panathinaikos:
- Brignoli; Kotsiras, Jedvaj, Magnusson, Mladenovic; Vilhena, Perez, Djuricic; Mancini, Sporar, Bernard
Marseille:
- Lopez; Clauss, Gigot, Mbemba, Lodi; Veretout, Kondogbia, Rongier; Sarr, Vitinha, Aubameyang
Panathinaikos vs Marseille Prediction
We predict a close match with Marseille winning 2-1. Despite their changes, Marseille still has experienced players who can make a difference. Panathinaikos has a good chance of scoring, but Marseille might take the lead in this first-leg encounter.
There is more different information on Germany betting exchange.