Conference League

2022-05-05 - Marseille vs Feyenoord

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Marseille v Feyenoord
Football: UEFA Europa Conference League Semi Final Second Leg
Thursday 5th May 2022 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

Marseille

In the early 1990s, Marseille were one of the premier European clubs having reached the Final of the European Cup in 1991 and 1993, winning one of those to remain the only French club to become European Champions. Recent years have been tougher, but Marseille are searching for a place in a European Final for the first time since 2018.

The 3-2 defeat in Holland has put Marseille in a difficult position, but the feeling around the club is that they made the mistakes that allowed Feyenoord to earn the lead. If they can clean those up, Marseille fans will be expecting their team to do enough to reach the first ever Europa Conference League Final. The side have won all 3 Knock Out ties played here in this competition and Marseille have won their last 4 home European ties.

Marseille were thumped 0-3 at home by Lyon this past weekend and that means there is considerable work to do for the club to earn a top three finish in the French top flight and return to the Champions League. They have lost 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions, but Marseille have won the other couple of fixtures in that time. Marseille had won 5 in a row at home in all competitions before the loss to Lyon.

Feyenoord

Another former European Champion and two time UEFA Cup winning club Feyenoord are searching for a place in their first European Final since 2002. In recent years the Dutch top flight has fallen down the rankings compared with some of the top European Leagues out there with talent leaving at a regular rate, but Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax are pushing back against the trend.

The last one standing is Feyenoord who have a 3-2 lead from the First Leg of this Europa Conference League Semi Final, but who will know there is still a tough test between them and the Final. However, there will be a confidence in the camp with Feyenoord unbeaten in all 5 away games played in the competition and they have won 3 of their last 4, including back to back away Knock Out ties.

Feyenoord look like they are going to finish 3rd in the Dutch top flight which would mean entering the Champions League Qualifiers next season, while they have won 5 in a row in all competitions. Playing away from home has not been very troublesome for a Feyenoord team that have won 8 of their last 10 on their travels in all competitions.

Head to Head

This will be the second time Marseille have hosted Feyenoord in a competitive fixture.

They met in the Champions League Group Stage II in 1999/2000 and the game here finished goalless.

Prediction

The First Leg was a very entertaining game of football and Feyenoord will have to feel pretty happy with their 3-2 lead, despite blowing a 2-0 lead over Marseille.

It would be a surprise if the Second Leg did not follow on from where these teams left off.

Both are much happier being on the front foot and their games in the Europa Conference League at home/away respectively have tended to produce plenty of goals. Marseille have scored at least twice at home in each of their Knock Out Rounds in this competition, but they have also conceded in each of those in winning efforts.

Feyenoord have scored at least twice in each of their last 4 away games in the Europa Conference League, but they have also conceded in each of their last 4 on their travels.

An early goal, like we saw in Rotterdam, could really spark this Second Leg as much as it did the First Leg and I will be backing goals again.