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

Marseille will have the chance to qualify for the Champions League next season, while Ajaccio will be playing second-tier football.

Match preview

In their first season back at this level since 2013-14, Ajaccio's instant return to Ligue 2 has long been on the cards.

The club are going down with a whimper, with results only getting worse since their relegation was confirmed.

A run of just two points from a possible 36 has seen them score just two goals across that period, and they could become the first side since Toulouse four years ago to go seven top-flight games without scoring.

Two recent 5-0 defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes highlighted the ill-discipline that has contributed to their poor season, with red cards in both games taking their tally to a league-high 10 for the season.

High-flyers Lens also had little difficulty in dispatching with Ajaccio last weekend, beating the Corsicans 3-0.

That result means that regardless of the score here, both Ajaccio and Troyes will end the season with the lowest-ever points total without finishing bottom in the French top flight during the three-points-per-win era.

Their 37 league games have yielded just 23 points so far, but three of those came in the reverse fixture at Marseille in a shock win earlier this season.

The likelihood of them repeating the feat on home soil is slim though, considering that Olivier Pantaloni's side have failed to score in 13 of their 18 games here at the Stade Francois Coty.

With just nine goals scored at home all season, Ajaccio could set another unwanted French top-flight record if they fail to score again, as they would become the first club ever to blank in 14 home games in a single season.

Despite their position in third, Marseille have ended the season very poorly, losing three of their last four games, including against Lens, who OM have gifted second place to.

Their third-place finish means they will need to go through the qualifiers if they want to reach the Champions League next season.

Back-to-back defeats against Lille and Brest has seen a largely positive season end on a sour note, but this shaky finish should not detract from what has been a very good season.

A win would be their 23rd victory in the league this season, the same amount they managed when they were Ligue 1 champions during the 2009-10 season, as too many defeats have been costly for Igor Tudor's side.

It was Marseille's away form that kept them in the hunt near the top for so long though, as their 18 away games so far have yielded an impressive 39 points - a win would see them match their club-record points tally away from home, set back during the 2008-09 campaign.

Ajaccio Ligue 1 form:

D

L

D

L

L

L

Marseille Ligue 1 form:

W

W

L

W

L

L

Team News

Ajaccio will be without Yanis Cimignani and Congolese international Fernand Mayembo for the visit of Marseille in this season finale.

Youcef Belaili's injury problems continue, as the Algerian has played just 61 minutes since March's international break, and remains absent.

Veteran Romain Hamouma has also struggled with an injury-hit season in his first season at the club, starting just six matches in 2023.

Mickael Alphonse is still banned but Thomas Mangani is available for selection again, after the two were sent off during their 5-0 defeats to Rennes and PSG respectively.

Sead Kolasinac and Alexis Sanchez could both play their final games for Marseille here, with the duo out of contract in the summer.

There are doubts over Dimitri Payet's future too, and with the former French international currently suspended, he may already have played his last game with OM.

Moroccan pair Azzedine Ounahi and Amine Harit remain out with the injuries that ended their seasons earlier in the campaign.

Pedro Ruiz will be sidelined, and could be joined on the absentee list by Samuel Gigot, who is still recovering from a knock.

Ajaccio possible starting lineup:

Sollacaro; Youssouf, Avinel, Vidal, Diallo; Marchetti, Mangani, Coutadeur; Barreto, El Idrissy, Spadanuda

Marseille possible starting lineup:

Pau Lopez; Mbemba, Bailly, Balerdi; Clauss, Rongier, Veretout; Kolasinac; Cengiz Under, Sanchez, Malinovskiy

We say: Ajaccio 0-3 Marseille

Ajaccio are going down with an almighty whimper, and have suffered numerous heavy defeats in recent weeks.

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