Marseille vs Auxerre – News and Probable Lineups

Friday brings the 26th matchday of the Ligue 1 season at Stade Velodrome, where Marseille aims to secure third place on their own against relegation-threatened Auxerre.

Following a narrow 1-0 victory over Toulouse, OM has climbed to third, tied on points with Lyon, while their upcoming opponents from Burgundy sit at 16th after a 0-0 draw against Strasbourg.

Match overview

Despite some disappointing performances earlier in the season, Marseille’s domestic form has seen a positive shift recently.

With back-to-back wins in their last two league outings, they are now poised to secure an automatic spot in the League Phase of next season’s Champions League.

Since their 2-0 loss to Nantes at the start of January, they have remained unbeaten at home in normal time against French clubs, with Habib Beye maintaining his home record at the Velodrome since taking over.

Nevertheless, only three points separate them from Rennes, Beye’s former club, who are in fifth place, which would result in missing out on Champions League qualifications.

A second loss at home this year on Friday would be a significant setback, as it would already exceed the number of losses they faced in 2025 in this same competition.

Les Olympiens have secured victories in two of their three league matches this season against teams currently occupying the bottom three, although their solitary home game resulted in a defeat to Nantes back in January.

Wins have been rare for Auxerre, but they have managed to accumulate points with a degree of steadiness since February.

Christophe Pelissier’s side has lost only once in their last six Ligue 1 fixtures (3-0 to Rennes), placing them five points shy of Nice, who are securing their position in the top tier for next season.

A single slip could significantly alter their prospects, with AJA currently just two points clear of Nantes, who are in the last automatic relegation slot.

Auxerre has struggled to find the back of the net away from home in Ligue 1 this year, yet they have gathered points in their past three away matches in this league.

The team with the league’s lowest goal tally (19 goals) managed to score five times in their last two away fixtures, which is one more than their total in all previous away matches in this season.

AJA has triumphed in two of their last three Ligue 1 encounters with Marseille, including a 3-1 victory in this identical matchup from the previous season.

Team News

Marseille heads into this match with just one injury report: Quinten Timber is doubtful due to a knock.

Mason Greenwood scored again for them against Toulouse, and the former Manchester United forward now has 14 goals in Ligue 1 this season, tied for the top spot alongside Strasbourg’s Joaquin Panichelli.

At Auxerre, Nathan-Buayi Kiala is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury, Lasso Coulibaly is dealing with a knock, while Romain Faivre’s participation remains uncertain due to an ankle issue.

Oussama El Azzouzi might be out again due to a hamstring injury, while Lassine Sinayoko is ruled out because of suspension.

Marseille probable starting XI:

Rolls; Weah, Balerdi, Pavard, Palmieri; Kondogbia, Hojbjerg; Greenwood, Nwaneri, Paixao; Gouiri

Auxerre probable starting XI:

Leon; Senaya, Diamond, Sierralta, Acpa; Casimir, Danish, Owusu, Oppegard; Mara, Loader

Although Auxerre has shown some spirited performances recently, their lack of creativity could lead to Marseille controlling the match and ultimately finding a path to victory.