Having previously been tipped as one of the sides likely to challenge at the top end of the table in France’s Ligue 1, Monaco finds itself in all sorts of trouble at the wrong end of the division and battling against relegation. On Sunday, Monaco travels to take on an out-of-sorts but strong Marseille side that still has its sights set on a top-three finish and a place in next season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League.
- Marseille is without a win in its last three league games.
- Monaco has lost four of its last six Ligue 1 contests.
- Both sides have won nine of the past 23 meetings between these two teams.
Marseille vs Monaco Game Center
Marseille and Monaco in need of points
A draw is not really good enough for either side in the current circumstances. Marseille has not won in three and desperately needs to take all three points if it is to continue to challenge for a top-three finish. The team is currently five points behind Lyon in third.
Monaco, by way of comparison, finds itself in real danger of falling through the trap door and into the second tier of French club football. They have won just three league games all season, losing 11, and are scoring at a rate of less than a goal a game. The arrival of former player Thierry Henry as manager has done little to arrest the slide.
Marseille is the overwhelming favorite to get back to winning ways in this one. You can back the home side to take all three points at just -188, while Monaco is all the way out at +500 to record what would be a shock win. A draw is priced in the middle at +300.
Marseille should take the points
With home advantage, not to mention Monaco’s abysmal form this season, we are expecting Marseille to get the win it so desperately needs to get the season back on track. It is of course no easy task trying to predict the exact scorelines in football matches, but a comfortable 2-0 win for the home side here comes in at +700 and, given how both sides have been playing, could well be worth backing.
That outcome would also allow you to back UNDER 2.5 goals in the game, which is priced at +120, as well as a “No” to both teams scoring, which is slightly shorter at +105. However, you could push those potential winnings higher still by employing a method called combo betting, which allows you to select multiple outcomes at higher odds.
For example, a combo bet of a Marseille win, coupled with a “No” to both teams scoring, is at the higher price of +187, while a home victory and UNDER 2.5 goals in the game comes in even higher at +333. You can also bet on the total number of goals in the match, with UNDER two coming in at +350, two or three dropping down to +105, and OVER three goals in the match up slightly at +162.
Could Marseille open the scoring early?
Considering just how poor Monaco have been in recent months, it is entirely feasible that, should Marseille get their noses in front early, their opponents will wilt. It may therefore be a good idea to back OVER 0.5 goals in the first 10 minutes, at +300, with Marseille priced at +550 to be ahead by the end of that time period.
In terms of goal scorers, Florian Thauvin is likely to be the home side’s best chance of a breakthrough. The international playmaker comes in at just -120 to get on the scoresheet at any time, while you can back Thauvin at +333 to net either the first or the last goal of the game.
We are not expecting Monaco to find the back of the net, given their paltry goal-scoring record this season. You could also therefore back Marseille to win to nil (without Monaco scoring a goal) at +187.
