Marseille vs Liverpool prediction: Champions League betting tips & odds

Liverpool travel to Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday, looking to take another step towards qualification for the knockout stages (8pm, TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+).

The Reds are currently ninth after the opening six games and start the week level on points with the three sides ahead of them in the top eight. Only the top eight qualify automatically for the round of 16, with those sides 9th to 24th facing a play-off tie, something Arne Slot will be keen to avoid.

Despite a poor season so far, they still sit fourth in the Premier League, albeit 14 points behind the leaders Arsenal, and they have won four and lost two of their games in this competition.

They have lost to Galatasaray and PSV Eindhoven, yet beat Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Inter, and that sums up Liverpool so far - you just don’t know which version is going to turn up.

In the Premier League, they have taken four points off Arsenal and beaten Aston Villa, but were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Burnley last time out.

Despite their form, Arne Slot’s side are still among the favourites in the Champions League odds at 10/1 to lift the trophy and with their only other chance of silverware this season being the FA Cup, they could put their focus on this competition.

It’s also been a mixed season for their opponents on Wednesday, with Marseille sitting third in Ligue 1 behind Paris St-Germain and the current leaders Lens, but they have won their last two matches by an aggregate scoreline of 14-2, so goals aren’t a problem.

In the Champions League table, they are 16th and just three points behind Liverpool, having won three and lost three of their six matches.

Their defeats have come away at Real Madrid and Sporting and at home to Atalanta, but they have beaten Ajax as well as Newcastle and Union Saint-Gilloise in their last two matches.

They went a goal down at home to Newcastle after just six minutes, when Harvey Barnes opened the scoring, but former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the first four minutes of the second half to turn the tie on its head.

That win over Eddie Howe’s side ended a run of 12 successive matches without a win against English teams, which saw them draw three and lose nine.

The two sides have only met six times before, with the first meeting coming back in 2004 in the Uefa Cup.

The French side secured a 1-1 draw at Anfield before goals from Didier Drogba and Abdoulaye Meite earned them a 2-1 draw at home to knock out the three-time champions.

They met in this competition in the group stages in both the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons, and Liverpool have won the last three meetings, including the last two at the Stade Vélodrome.

Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel were all on target in the 4-0 win back in December 2007 before Gerrard scored twice the following season to help his side to a 2-1 win.

Liverpool have won 16 of their last 19 Uefa Champions League group stage/league phase matches, losing the other three, and they have lost only two of their last eight games against French teams at this stage, winning five and drawing the other.

Marseille are on a run of 30 games with a draw in this competition, winning eight and losing 22, while Liverpool haven’t drawn any of their last 27, winning 19 and losing eight.

It’s the two longest runs without a draw in the competition’s history, but the fact that Slot’s side have drawn four of their last five game, making the odds on a draw on football betting sites seem attractive.

Marseille vs Liverpool prediction 1: Draw & both teams to score - 18/5 BetVictor

Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored 13 goals in major European competitions for Marseille, including three in the Champions League this season and 10 in the 2023-24 Europa League.

His goals so far have come against Ajax and Newcastle, where he scored a brace, and he currently has 13 for the season.

The 35-year-old has scored twice so far against Liverpool, once in the Community Shield for Arsenal and once for Borussia Dortmund in a 4-3 Europa League defeat at Anfield.

Champions League betting sites are offering 23/10 on him scoring at any time and 7/5 on him scoring or assisting, and considering he has three goals and four assists in six games so far, that has the potential to seem generous.

Marseille vs Liverpool prediction 2: Aubameyang to score or assist - 7/5 BetMGM

Marseille: Roberto De Zerbi's side will still be missing Derek Cornelius (muscle) and Ruben Blanco (knee), while midfielder Bilal Nadir is a doubt after he was forced off during their 5-2 win over Angers on Saturday.

Liverpool: The Reds are without Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (knee) and Alexander Isak (leg) for the trip, but they could welcome Mo Salah back following the Africa Cup of Nations. Ibrahim Konate is a doubt after missing training on Tuesday to deal with a family matter.

Marseille: Rulli; Weah, Pavard, Balerdi, Medina, Emerson; Hojbjerg, Vermeeren; Greenwood, Aubameyang, Paixao

Liverpool: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz

Betfred are running a special Champions League free bet offer for matchday seven of this season’s tournament. They are offering a free bet refund to all punters who place a Champions League bet builder and lose this week.

Simply opt in to the promotion and then put together your own bet builder for any of tonight’s Champions League matches, including Marseille vs Liverpool.

The bet builder must include at least three selections and have combined odds of 3/1 or more to qualify.

If your bet builder doesn’t win, Betfred will refund users in free bets, up to a maximum of £10.

It’s vital that bettors take steps to remain in control of their time and budget when using gambling sites. The same applies whether you’re using the best betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium.

Even the most knowledgeable racing punter can lose a bet, so always stick to a budget and never chase your losses.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by any free bets or casino offers you might receive, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs.

You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:

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