Marseille vs Reims Prediction & Betting Tips (25 August)

Last season, Olympique de Marseille transformed the Vélodrome into a veritable fortress, conceding only one defeat in all competitions at home. After starting the new season with a trip to Brest, Marseille is preparing to host Reims for its first match at the Vélodrome. Under the leadership of De Zerbi, the team is aiming for a good start in front of their supporters, after a previous season marked by mixed results. Although OM reached the semi-final of the Europa League, lost against Atalanta, this performance did not compensate for a disappointing 8th place in Ligue 1. Deprived of European competition this season, the Marseillais have the opportunity to focus exclusively on the championship, a challenge for which they are particularly expected. The summer preparation was encouraging, notably with a 3-1 victory against Augsburg. When they entered the Ligue 1 competition on the Brest pitch, De Zerbi's recruits shone by winning 5-1, propelling OM to the top of the standings before this second day. Stade de Reims begins this new season with several important changes, including the arrival of a new coach, Luka Elsner, who succeeds Will Still after his unexpected departure.

Elsner aims to maintain, or even improve, the team's performance, which started well the previous season before finishing in 9th place. The summer preparation of the Rémois was marked by contrasting results. They started with an encouraging victory against Fleury-Mérogis 2-0. However, their tour of Japan was more chaotic, with a draw against Jubilo Iwata 1-1, a heavy defeat against Shimizu S-Pulse 3-0, a victory against Machida 2-0, followed by another defeat against Kobe 1-0. Just before the start of the championship, Reims ended its series of friendly matches with a draw and a victory against Auxerre. Despite this lackluster preparation, the Rémois started the season with a defeat on the first day of Ligue 1 against Lille 0-2, a match where they were quickly reduced to ten men after the expulsion of one of their players. 

Olympique de Marseille is entering this new season with a largely renewed squad. The defense was strengthened with the arrival of Achraf Dari from Brest, who will return to his place after a suspension, and Bamo Meïté from Lorient. In midfield, Danish international Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, transferred from Tottenham, brings his experience. In attack, Mason Greenwood, on loan from Manchester United, quickly made an impression by scoring twice in the victory against Brest, despite the controversies surrounding his arrival. To resolve the recurring problems in the cages, OM recruited De Lange from Go Ahead Eagles as well as Gerónimo Rulli from Ajax. The latter has already shown his effectiveness by stopping a penalty on the last day. In defense, the club brought in Cornelius from Molde to compensate for significant departures, notably the sidelining of Samuel Gigot and Chancel Mbemba. In terms of departures, Pape Gueye joined Villarreal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left for Saudi Arabia, Jonathan Clauss signed for Nice, and Ismaïla Sarr left for Crystal Palace. The loan returns of Pol Lirola (from Fiorentina) and Mughe (from Dunkirk) complete a squad which has yet to find its cohesion. However, new signings Carboni and Koné, who missed the first match due to injuries, could also be absent for the match against Reims. On the other hand, Valentin Rongier has returned after a long absence, which should provide additional stability to the midfield.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 🆙🔥

Getting ready to take on Reims this Sunday 💪⚔️pic.twitter.com/J2w3BaPkwy

— Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) August 22, 2024

Elye Wahi recently joined Olympique de Marseille and wasted no time in making headlines. The striker has already scored his first goal in his new colors during the victory against Brest. For his part, this summer, Stade de Reims turned an important page with the departure of its emblematic captain Yunis Abdelhamid, who left for Saint-Etienne . The club also saw full-back Diakité (Cercle Bruges) and midfielder Stambouli (free) leave the squad. On the other hand, young midfielder Adeline (back from loan to Annecy) and striker Salama (on loan to Caen) hope to win this season. The club has strengthened its defense with the arrival of central defender Kipré, free from West Bromwich Albion. In the starting 11, we should find key players like the Maltese international Teuma (6 goals, 3 assists), Munetsi (4 goals, 3 assists), the Japanese Nakamura (4 goals) and Ito (3 goals, 7 assists). ), as well as the scorer Diakité (5 goals). On the other hand, Amadou Koné will be absent for the match against Olympique de Marseille after receiving an early red card during the match against Lille, after a major clash with Angel Gomes.