Marseille vs Atalanta predicted XIs: Confirmed team news and probable line-ups | OneFootball

The Europa League semi-finals are just around the corner, and Marseille’s meeting with Atalanta could produce plenty of drama and excitement.

Marseille have the continental pedigree on their side, having won the 1993 Champions League as well as finishing runners-up four times across the European Cup (1991), UEFA Cup (1999, 2004) and the Europa League (2018).

This is Atalanta’s joint best-ever showing in a European competition, having bowed out at the semi-final stage of the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1988 to Belgian side KV Mechelen, and they have taken major scalps en route to the final four this year – most notably Liverpool in the previous round, having won 3-0 at Anfield.

A captivating encounter is expected at the Orange Velodrome on Thursday 2nd May and all the action can be caught on TNT Sports 3, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 BST.

A night of firsts for unfamiliar foes

No matter the end result, Thursday’s meeting will create memorable history for fans of both sides as this will be the first-ever competitive meeting between Marseiile and Atalanta.

The Olympians have largely impressed when facing Italian sides in continental competitions. They defeated AC Milan 1-0 in the 1993 Champions League final and have also beaten the likes of Inter Milan and Lazio in the knockout stages of European tournaments – although they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Parma in the 1998 UEFA Cup.

La Dea meanwhile have only faced two French sides across their fledgling European appearances, with Atalanta falling to PSG in the 2020 Champions League quarter finals (2-1) and taking four points off of Lyon in the 2018 Europa League groups stages.

The end result could be too close to call, but both sides possess key attacking talents which could swing the tie in their favour if they perform on the night.

Marseille undoubtedly holds the ace card in the form of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the Gabonese forward topping the goalscorer charts this season (10) as well as possessing the all-time goalscoring record in the competition (34).

However, Atalanta also have a number of dangerous players in the final third. Former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca has netted five goals so far in the competition this season, and could ask questions of a Marseille defence that has not kept a clean sheet in three games.

Marseille vs Atalanta team news

The Olympians will be without Samuel Gigot through suspension, while injury will also see Chancel Mbemba, Ismaila Sarr, Quentin Merlin, Valentin Rongier, and Bamo Meite miss Thursday’s game.

La Dea are better off on the injury front, with Rafael Toloi and Emil Holm the only players remaining in the treatment room, however they also will have to deal with suspension as defender Isak Hien misses out.

Marseille vs Atalanta predicted lineups