Atalanta vs Marseille

Gewiss Stadium sets the stage for the return leg of an evenly-poised Europa League semi-final tie between Atalanta and Marseille. 

After dropping an early lead in a 1-1 first-leg draw in France, Atalanta return home, where they’ve won just half of their last six competitive matches (D2, L1), seeking a way into their first-ever major European final. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men extended their unbeaten away run in continental action to 11 matches last time out. Yet, they’ve blown hot and cold across their three most recent Europa League home outings (W1, D1, L1). On top of that, La Dea’s all-time record against French opponents (W1, D2, L1) suggests this tie could go either way. Atalanta will rely on their formidable return of 16 wins from 21 competitive games as pre-match favorites this season to tip the balance scales in their favor (D3, L2). Unbeaten in five straight matches (W4, D1), the hosts will take the field in high spirits following a come-from-behind 2-1 Serie A win at Salernitana earlier this week. 

In the meantime, visiting Marseille boast a flawless record across their last three Europa League semi-final ties (W3), though all final appearances ended in defeat. In order to uphold that record, Les Olympiens must bounce back from back-to-back away losses in this season’s Europa League knockout stages and defy an underwhelming run of winning just one of their six European away games this season. With Ligue 1 granting them a weekend off to rest and prepare for this trip, Jean-Louis Gasset’s men will have no excuse if they fail to post only their fifth away win in all competitions this season (W4, D2, L10). As 69% of their Europa League matches in 2023/24 featured both teams on the scoresheet, they’ll probably need to score a couple to get the better of Atalanta.