There are just eight teams remaining in the Europa League this term, and the battle for a spot in the semi-final stage heats up this week when the quarterfinals get underway. Benfica will have the home field advantage for their quarterfinal first leg showdown with Marseille this week, but can the Portuguese hosts maintain their stunning home record in the competition?
It has been another stunning season of Europa League action this term, and the battle for a spot in the final steps up a gear this week when the quarterfinals get underway. Marseille will likely be the outsiders in the betting for this first leg showdown in Portugal against Benfica, and it could be hard to take much confidence from their recent visits to the nation.
The French side have picked up just a single victory from their last nine matches in Portugal, with seven defeats having been inflicted over that period. However, their only victory was gained on their most recent trip to Portugal when they managed to overcome Sporting Lisbon in 2022. Marseille have progressed well since finishing second in the group stage, comfortably edging past Shakhtar Donetsk in the playoff round before landing a 5-3 aggregate success against Villarreal in the previous round.
Benfica will have a lot of confidence ahead of this clash on Thursday, as they have a very dominant home record in the Europa League. The Portuguese side are unbeaten in their last 28 matches in Lisbon, landing 21 victories across that period. Meanwhile, they have only failed to score on one occasion over that period of matches when drawing 0-0 to Galatasaray in February 2019.
Benfica have grown into the tournament this season, and they also needed to come through a testing playoff fixture after overcoming Toulouse. In the previous round, the Portuguese club secured a 3-2 aggregate success against Rangers. But, they will need to be at their very best in this tie.
This will be the third time that Benfica and Marseille will collide in the knockout stage of a European competition. Benfica have progressed from each of the previous two.
Their first success was achieved on away goals in the European Cup in the 1989-90 season, before they landed a 3-2 aggregate success in the last 16 of the Europa League in the 2009-10 season.
Marseille have a fair few injury concerns ahead of this showdown in the Europa League this week. Chancel Mbemba is unlikely to be fit enough to return on Thursday, while Jean Onana, Ismalia Sarr, Jonathan Clauss and Amir Murillo could be fit enough to return for the return leg. Bamo Meite is out until the end of the season.
Benfica have no fresh injury concerns ahead of this clash on Thursday. Fredrik Aursnes is back in full training, and the midfielder could be thrown in from the start against Marseille in this huge clash.
Marseille have shown excellent quality in the final third of the field throughout their run to this stage of the Europa League this season, with only Liverpool scoring more goals.
However, their away record remains a key concern, as they have won an away opening leg in the knockout stage on just one occasion in their last 14 attempts. Benfica also boast a dominant home record in the Europa League, having gone 28 matches without defeat. Therefore, it could be worthwhile to side with the home team landing victory in this opening leg to give themselves something to defend when they travel to France next week.
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