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Match Preview
Europa
League: Marseille vs Ajax
Kickoff
Time: 2023-12-01 04:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/PASCAL
ROSSIGNOL
Based
on the current standings in Group B of the Europa League group stage, Marseille
are leading with eight points, followed by Brighton with seven. AEK Athens have
four points, and Ajax are in last place with just two. Considering the limited
number of remaining matches in the group stage, Ajax’s chances of qualifying
for the next stage appear to be slim.
Marseille,
a traditional powerhouse in Ligue 1 and a regular participant in European
competitions, have faced increased competition in recent years, particularly
from Paris Saint-Germain. As a result, their focus has shifted towards cup
competitions, as winning the league has become more challenging. With the
upcoming 125th anniversary of the club’s founding, Marseille are determined to
make a breakthrough. To bolster their chances, Marseille made significant
investments in the summer transfer window. They secured notable signings such
as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Chelsea, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Renan Lodi
from Atletico Madrid, and Joaquin Correa from Inter. These additions have
significantly strengthened their overall capabilities. In the current Europa
League group stage, only three teams remain undefeated among the 32
participating teams, and Marseille are one of them. With a victory in the
upcoming match, Marseille would advance to the top 16. It is anticipated that
Marseille will field a strong offensive formation, likely a 4-3-3, with a focus
on exploiting the wings for breakthrough opportunities.
After
coach Erik ten Hag departed for Manchester United, Ajax embarked on a path of
reconstruction, which involved selling off some of their key players. However,
the progress of their reconstruction has not been successful. Between September
and October, they endured a difficult period of 10 games without a win and even
dropped to the bottom of the Eredivisie standings. In early November, Ajax made
a coaching change, which led to an improvement in their league results.
However, their performance in Europa League remained lackluster. In the last
round of the group stage, Ajax suffered a 0-2 home defeat to Brighton, who had
a number of injured players. Ajax fielded a starting lineup that included nine
players under the age of 23. Notably, 18-year-old defensive midfielder Silvano
Vos and 19-year-old attacking midfielder Kristian Hlynsson made their first
European starts. Deploying inexperienced young players in crucial matches and
key positions often leads to more mistakes both in attack and defense. In fact,
Vos made a fatal error that resulted in conceding a goal in the 14th minute.
This suggests that Ajax have shifted their focus away from European competition
and towards the development and training of new players.
Marseille’s
strong home record and the current situation of Ajax being seemingly less
motivated to perform could indeed present an opportunity for Marseille to
secure all three points in their upcoming match.
Marseille’s
Last 5 Games: DLWDW
23-11-26
Strasbourg 1-1 Marseille
23-11-13
Lens 1-0 Marseille
23-11-10
AEK Athens 0-2 Marseille
23-11-05
Marseille 0-0 Lille
23-10-27
Marseille 3-1 AEK Athens
Ajax’s
Last 5 Games: WDLWW
23-11-26
Ajax 5-0 Vitesse
23-11-12
Almere City FC 2-2 Ajax
23-11-10
Ajax 0-2 Brighton
23-11-05
Ajax 4-1 SC Heerenveen
23-11-03
Ajax 2-0 FC Volendam
Head
To Head Record:
23-09-22
Ajax 3-3 Marseille
16-07-21
Marseille 2-2 Ajax
09-03-19
Ajax 2-1 Marseille (AET 2-2)
09-03-13
Marseille 2-1 Ajax
Prediction: Marseille to win