Marseille vs Atalanta Prediction: A feisty fixture in France?

Marseille and Atalanta both dropped points in their latest Uefa Champions League games, losing 2-1 to Sporting CP and drawing 0-0 with Slavia Prague, respectively. The two teams face off against each other on Wednesday (20:00 GMT, TNT Sports 5) at the French side’s Velodrome Stadium, with both surely targeting all three points to push up the league phase table.

Below are my Marseille vs Atalanta predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Former West Ham United full-back Emerson Palmieri is suspended for Marseille after he was sent off for two bookable offences in defeat to Sporting last month.

Nayef Aguerd (hip), Leonardo Balerdi, Timothy Weah (both muscle), Bilal Nadir (head), Facundo Medina (ankle), Geoffrey Kondogbia (calf), Hamed Junior Traore (leg) and Amine Gouri (shoulder) could all miss out due to injury.

Football Odds

As for Atalanta, Mitchel Bakker (knee) and Giorgio Scalvini (thigh) are sidelined, but Marten de Roon and Daniel Maldini have recently returned to training.

Marseille vs Atalanta Odds

Marseille are favourites to claim all three points on Wednesday, with odds of 11/10 implying a 47.6% probability of success, while Atalanta are 12/5, or a 29.4% chance, to triumph on their travels, with the draw priced at 11/4.

Booking Points Over/Under +42.5 @ 11/10

This has been a winning selection in all three of Marseille’s Champions League games this season, with 75 recorded in their defeat to Real Madrid, 50 in victory over Ajax, and 75 in their loss to Sporting.

The line failed to land in Atalanta’s opening two fixtures, but in their goalless draw with Slavia Prague, 50 booking points were awarded, 30 in their direction for three yellow cards.

Today's Football Fixtures

Atalanta have picked up at least 20 booking points in their last two European outings, while Marseille have recorded 20+ in all three league phase matches.

With both sides out for all three points, we could see a competitive contest in France, with sparks set to fly between the two sets of players.

Bet Builder - Igor Paixao (OLM) 2+ Shots on Target, Ademola Lookman (ATA) 1+ Shots on Target @ 13/5

Marseille forward Igor Paixao has only scored once in Ligue 1 since joining in a big-money move from Feyenoord, but he’s found the net three times in the Champions League, bagging a brace in his first European start for the club in a 4-0 victory over Ajax on September 30 before opening the scoring in their 2-1 defeat to Sporting last time out in the competition.

The Brazilian has registered two shots on target in each of his two Champions League starts for Marseille, and will fancy his chances of making that three in a row at home to Atalanta on Wednesday.

I’m adding in a shot on target for Atalanta attacker Ademola Lookman, who struck La Dea’s last goal, their equaliser in a 1-1 draw with AC Milan on October 28.

The Nigerian international is yet to score or register a shot on target in this season’s Champions League, but he only lasted just over an hour in each of his two appearances, and should get longer to prove his worth at the Velodrome.

Remember, this is a player who scored five goals in seven Champions League outings last season, averaging 1.7 shots on target per game, so he’s certainly capable of recording one against Marseille.

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