Champions League
2025-09-30 - Marseille vs Ajax
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Champions League
Tuesday 30th September 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Marseille
Roberto De Zerbi took over a Marseille team that had finished 8th in the French top flight and missed out on all European Football for the first time since the 2019/20 season. His task was clear and the Italian manager perhaps overachieved by taking Marseille back into the Champions League, although they never really came anywhere near to challenging Paris Saint-Germain for the title.
They have beaten the current French and European Champions this season and that means Marseille are only 3 points off the pace, which is perhaps a surprise considering how poorly they begun this season. The focus this week is to get back on track in the Champions League after Marseille were not able to hold onto a lead and then conceded very late on in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish capital.
Marseille lost 2 of the first 3 League games played, but they have won 3 of their last 4 in all competitions and that will have just turned the momentum and the confidence within the squad. The home support are also a huge factor for Marseille and they have won their last 7 games in this Stadium going back to last season.
Geoffrey Kondogbia is expected to miss out.
Ajax
After enduring their lowest League finish in just shy of 25 years in 2023/24, Ajax bounced back and looked on course to finish as Dutch Champions last time around. However, they ended the season scrambling for positive results and ultimately that cost Ajax with PSV Eindhoven pipping them by a single point.
The start to this campaign has been a little inconsistent and Ajax have already suffered a 0-2 home defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League. Last season Ajax were playing in the Europa League and they did have issues putting consistent form on the board, while eventually being crushed by Eintracht Frankfurt in the Last 16.
Ajax scored an early goal in the second half and held on for a victory last Saturday, although they had previously won 1 of 4 games played in all competitions. The side are unbeaten in all 3 away games played in the new season, but Ajax have been held to draws in all of those and have not won any of their last 5 fixtures played on their travels.
Head to Head
Two seasons ago, Marseille and Ajax were in the same Europa League Group as Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton.
Both were incredibly entertaining fixtures with the game in Amsterdam ending 3-3 and the one in Marseille 4-3 in favour of the home team.
Marseille have won their last 2 home games against Ajax having previously lost 2 in a row in the South of France against this opponent.
Prediction
Both of these teams will be looking to make amends for losses to two leading Champions League contenders, but it was Marseille who impressed more than Ajax and they can win this game at home.
Roberto De Zerbi's team have won 7 in a row at home in all competitions and have already beaten Paris Saint-Germain here.
Credit has to be given to Ajax for an unbeaten start domestically, but this is a team who have not won any of their last 5 away games. They have been stubborn enough to draw 4 in a row on their travels, but Ajax were beaten in 3 of their last 4 away Europa League games last season and may struggle to contain this Marseille attack.
Fans arriving to watch Marseille expect their team to get forward and attack and they have been scoring a lot of goals in matches being hosted. The 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain is an exception, but it is a result that will only serve to boost the home confidence and Marseille can win a fixture featuring at least two goals.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Marseille 3-1 Ajax
