Although they are suffering a disappointing domestic campaign, Olympique de Marseille will hope to give their fans something to smile about as they welcome Athletic Bilbao for a round of 32 clash in this season's Europa League. In previous seasons, Marseille would be viewed as contender for the Ligue 1 title, but due to PSG's amazing campaign thus far - they have yet to lose a game - coupled with their own struggles, they quickly fell off the pace and have not since recovered.
Olympique de Marseille
Currently, Michel's men sit in 11th place with 35 points, with just one win out of their last five league matches. The hosts, however, have fared better in their European campaign thus far - especially at home - with wins in their last two games contested at the Stade Vélodrome.
Their last participation in the Europa League round of 32 was during the 2009/2010 season, in which they gained an automatic berth after finishing third in their Champions League group, but their journey was abruptly ended by Portuguese outfit Benfica in the round of 16. Marseille have reached the final of this tournament twice, but lost on both occasions, most recently to Valencia 2-0 in 2004 and to Italian side Parma by a score of 3-0 in 1999.
All in all, they have played 11 games against Spanish opposition in European competition and do not have a good track record, with just two wins, two draws and a whopping seven losses. Their only two wins have come at home and they will be hoping that this will help them as they welcome one of the most prolific sides in the Europa League this season.
Michel's side, who have been winning both at half-time and full-time in their past three European fixtures, will have to make do without midfielder Remy Cabella due to suspension, and Paolo De Ceglie, Benjamin Mendy, and André Zambo Anguissa are all struggling with injuries and will not likely feature.
Athletic Club
Interestingly enough, Athletic Club have earned the exact same number of points - 35 - with two wins in their past 5 league games. However, unlike their upcoming opponents, Ernesto Valverde's squad are still in contention for European football as they sit in 7th, just one point 6th-placed Eibar. Los Leones were also one of the highest-scoring sides in the Europa League group stages, with their 16 goals only being topped by Napoli's 22.
Earlier this season, the Basque club made waves when they shocked Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate to win the Spanish Super Cup. Striker Aritz Aduriz enjoyed an evening that he surely will never forget as he scored a hat-trick in the first leg and added another during the second to earn his club their first trophy since 1984. The veteran attacker so far has netted 13 in La Liga and a whopping 25 across all competitions, and Valverde - a former Atheltic player himself - will be relying on the Spanish star to lead the line as they hope to improve on last season's performance, which saw them dumped out in the round of 32 by Serie A side Torino.
Athletic, however, do not have a good record when it comes to facing French sides. Out of their six past meetings, they have won one, lost four, and drawn one. Three out of their four defeats have happened in France, and they have yet to win a game on French soil. Like their upcoming opponents Marseille, they have also made it to the Europa League final twice, and had to settle for a runners-up spot on both occasions; most recently, they were defeated 3-0 by fellow La Liga side Atletico Madrid in 2012 and in 1977, Juventus edged them out on away goals after a 2-2 draw.
Valverde will have most of his squad available, save for Raul Garcia and Ibai Gomez, who are struggling with knee and foot injuries respectively.
Which channel is broadcasting Marseille vs Athletic Club on TV or Online?
Given that this will be the first ever meeting between Marseille and Athletic Club in European competiton, it's a match in which anything can happen. Marseille fans - and quite a few traveling Athletic supporters - will be behind their team in full force at the Stade Vélodrome, but if you are too far away to catch the game live, no worries. LiveSoccerTV.com has plenty of choices to view this match via your TV, computer, tablet, or phone.
Here are some viewing options for fans residing elsewhere in France and in the following countries:
- In the USA at 15.05 EST on: WATCH ESPN, ESPN3 USA, ESPN Deportes+, Fox Soccer 2GO USA
- In France at 21.05 CET on: W9, beIN Sports 1
- In Spain at 21.05 CET on: beIN Sports Connect S.P., beIN Sports Spain
- In the UK at 20.05 GMT on: BT Sport Live Streaming, BT Sport Extra
Live elsewhere? Check out our special Marseille vs Athletic Club broadcast page for viewing times and options for wherever you are currently based.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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