The Europa League arrives at the best moment: tough duel on Marcelino’s return to Marseille

VILA-REAL. He returns to the Europa League following two and a half months and does so at the best possible moment for Villarreal. Set groggy This Thursday (9:00 p.m.) they face the first leg of the round of 16 once morest Olympique de Marseille following beating Granada and thus accumulating three wins and four draws in the last seven games.

With the league situation much more on track, Marcelino’s men face with all their attention the competition that they already held in 2021 and that generates so much excitement in the squad and the fans. The objective is to achieve a result at the Vélodrome that will allow us to confidently face next week’s return at La Cerámica.

It will be the first time that both teams see each other, in a match clearly marked by the reunion of Marcelino García Toral with the club that he managed at the beginning of the season and from which he was forced to leave due to extra-sports issues related to the great power of influence of the Marseille ultras.

With everything to achieve a good result for the return

Marcelino rotated last Sunday once morest Granada with the aim of allowing some men to arrive physically well for the game in Marseille. This is the case, for example, of grocery store e Iliaswho ran out of minutes in the league and are aiming for headlines in Europe.

Another who seems to be in the eleven is Francis Coquelin, despite being one of the players in the squad who have suffered a gastric virus in recent days. For the rest, not many more changes are expected for a lineup that promises to be as competitive as possible.

The defense, if there are no surprises, will be the same as the one that played once morest Granada, and up front they will remain Brothers, Sørloth y Gerard. On the right wing Bertrand Traoré He put in a very creditable performance in his first start in the last match, but even so it is normal for Ilias Akhomach to regain his position.

Marseille, full of victories with the new coach

Just as the Submarino arrives at a good time for the tie, the French team also faces it immersed in a positive streak of results. They count their last three games by victories, the last by 1-5 in their visit to Clermont, last classified in Ligue 1.

These three victories have occurred since he arrived on the bench Jean-Louis Gassetfourth coach of the season for the Marseille club following Marcelino, Abandoned y Street. Thus, it seems that the arrival of the French coach has meant a radical change in the team, which has scored 12 goals and conceded three since his arrival.

In the casualty chapter, Olympique de Marseille will not be able to count on the injured Veretout, Leg, Murillo, Nadir y Rongier. Those who will be there and are aiming for headlines due to their great form are Indian education, Aubameyang and a Ismaila Sarr which was intended by Villarreal himself in the last winter market.

Probable lineups

Villarreal: Queen; Femenía, Bailly, Mosquera, Alberto Moreno; Ilias, Comesaña, Coquelin, Baena; Sørloth and Gerard Moreno.

Olympique de Marseille: Paul Lopez; Clauss, Balerdi, Bear, Merlin; Harit, Gueye, Ounahi; Sarr, Aubameyang and Ndiaye.

Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük (Países Bajos).

Estadio: Estadio Vélodrome (9:00 p.m.).