Olympique de Marseille vs Liverpool FC, UEFA Champions League 2025-26, Today Match Prediction

Olympique de Marseille vs Liverpool FC Match Prediction & Analysis

Marseille welcome Liverpool to a high-stakes Champions League night at the Velodrome on Thursday (1:30 AM IST). With both sides currently outside the direct round-of-16 spots and only two games left, this one has “must-win” written all over it — expect both to go flat out for three points.

Current Standings: Liverpool occupy 9th position in the league standings with 12 points, while Marseille are down at 16th with 9 points. 

Head-to-Head Record: The sides have clashed four times in the Champions League, with Liverpool holding the upper hand with three wins to Marseille’s solitary triumph. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Olympique de Marseille Preview

The Ligue 1 giants warmed up for their UCL showdown with Liverpool in style, smashing Angers 5–2 in a round 18 clash. Igor Paixao — a familiar face to Slot from their Feyenoord days — got in on the act, and he’ll again be Marseille’s danger man, having been their top scorer in Europe this season with four goals. 

Add to that a penalty shootout push against PSG in the Trophee des Champions and a ruthless 9–0 French Cup win, and Les Olympiens arrive with momentum.

 In the Champions League it’s been boom or bust for Les Olympiens as they have racked up big wins over Ajax (4–0), Newcastle (2–1) and Union SG (3–2), mixed with three defeats—two on the road. Still, their firepower makes them a real threat to a Liverpool side that has struggled defensively, and a win would throw Marseille right into the mix for direct round-of-16 qualification.

Stats that matter 

1. A victory against Liverpool on Wednesday would extend Marseille's winning Champions League run to three matches for the first time since 2010/11.
2. Marseille has scored 22 goals in their last five matches in all competitions.
3. Les Olympiens have registered only one win in their last 13 UCL matches against teams from England (L9 D3). 

Team News 

In terms of injuries, Marseille have a clean bill of health, meaning De Zerbi may go with the same lineup that started against Angers. 

Marseille Probable XI - Rulli (GK) ; Pavard, Egan-Riley, Medina, Weah, Vermeeran, Honbjerg, Emerson, Greenwood, Paixao, Aubamayeng. 

Liverpool FC Preview

Liverpool may be 12 games unbeaten across competitions, but they’re far from convincing. That stretch includes six draws — four against newly promoted or bottom-half sides — plus a cagey stalemate with Arsenal where they didn’t muster a single shot on target. 

To make matters worse, they arrive for the midweek showdown after a flat 1–1 against relegation-bound Burnley, marking the first time since 1980–81 that Liverpool failed to beat a newly promoted side at Anfield.

In Europe  it’s been a mixed bag as well. On one hand, they’ve toppled the likes of Real Madrid (1–0) and Inter Milan, yet stumbled to shock defeats against Galatasaray (1–0) and PSV (4–1). Even Atlético Madrid nearly nicked points until Virgil van Dijk bailed them out in stoppage time. 

Throw in the swirling Xabi Alonso rumors, and Arne Slot walks into Marseille knowing this isn’t just another group-stage fixture but a game that they simply cannot afford to lose.

Stats that matter 

1. Four of their last five matches across competitions have been draws.
2. Liverpool have won 16 of their last 19 UEFA Champions League group stage/league phase matches (L3).
3. Dominik Szoboszlai has found the net in three of Liverpool's last four Champions League matches.

Team News 

The Merseysiders will also be without a number of long-term absentees for the trip to France, though no suspensions. The silver lining, though, is the potential return of Mohamed Salah, but after everything that’s unfolded in recent months, it remains to be seen whether he starts or not. 

Liverpool Probable XI - Alisson (GK);   Frimpong,  Konate, Virgil van Dijk,  Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Mohamed Writz, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE vs LIVERPOOL FC
Winning Prediction

On most nights you’d back a heavyweight like Liverpool to handle Marseille, especially with just two losses in their last eight UCL meetings with French sides (W5 D1). But this version of Liverpool, with patchy form and a shaky backline, feels far more vulnerable against an attacked minded Marseille outfit. In short, this one feels wide open, very much anybody’s game.

We predict a draw (2-2)

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