Leverkusen – Marseille: The perfect record against the pressure of zero
Bayer Leverkusen hosts Marseille on Thursday evening (05/11, 22:00) at the "BayArena", as part of the 4th matchday of the Europa League Group Stage.
Bayer Leverkusen hosts Marseille on Thursday evening (05/11, 22:00) at the "BayArena", as part of the 4th matchday of the Europa League Group Stage. The Germans want to maintain their perfect record, while the Marseillais are looking for their first points in the competition.
Leverkusen: Three wins without conceding a goal
Carles Martinez's team has had an ideal start in the Europa League. They beat Celje 2-0, won 4-0 away at Lech Poznan, and in the previous matchday, they defeated OFI 2-0 in Heraklion.
With nine points and an 8-0 goal difference, they are in second place behind Benfica. At the same time, they are the only team in the Group Stage that has not yet conceded a goal.
Their European form, however, contrasts with their recent results in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen suffered two consecutive defeats, first 3-0 against Hoffenheim and then 4-2 against Stuttgart at home. In between, they beat Nuremberg 5-2 and qualified for the last 16 of the German Cup.
Despite the defeat to Stuttgart, Leverkusen had 63% possession and 24 shots on goal. Patrik Schick has scored in all four home league games this season, while Ibrahim Maza has found the net in his two most recent appearances at the "BayArena".
Marseille: In form in France, without a point in Europe
The situation is completely different for Marseille. Bruno Genesio's team has lost all three of their first Group Stage matches and is in 34th place.
On the opening day, they lost 4-1 to Besiktas in Istanbul, followed by a 1-0 home defeat to Olympiacos, and then they left Sturm Graz empty-handed, losing 1-0 again. Their European record is limited to one goal scored and six conceded.
In Ligue 1, however, Marseille is showing a much better face. They have four consecutive wins in their domestic obligations and are coming off a 2-0 victory over Toulouse. This was preceded by a 4-3 win against Le Havre and an impressive 5-2 away victory over Angers.
Two teams with different pressures
Leverkusen knows that another win will solidify their position in the top eight and significantly bring them closer to direct qualification for the last 16. At the same time, they want to react after two consecutive defeats in the German championship.
For Marseille, time is already running out. The French need points to get closer to positions 9-24 and avoid the possibility of being out of contention for qualification very early on.
The visitors are expected to play more offensively than in their previous European games. This may offer space to Leverkusen, who have proven that they can be particularly dangerous when they find open play.
The match pits the only team without a goal conceded in the Europa League against a Marseille team that has not yet kept a clean sheet in the competition. It is, therefore, an important test both for the Germans' perfect European record and for the resilience of the Marseillais.
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