Preview: Marseille looking to bounce back
When this group was drawn, many people believed that it was arguably the group of death. Looking at all four teams in the group, some would also say that Marseille is the weakest team of the four.
At the moment, the group standings may reflect that opinion, but the French outfit is hoping they can put their current form behind them.
With zero points from their opening two UCL matches, Marseille was defeated by Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal. They will now have to turn their attention to a Napoli side who has a number of talented players, and has a new manager, who has plenty of experience in this competition.
Marseille is in the middle of a poor stretch, having lost three consecutive matches in all competitions. Steve Mandanda believes his side can bounce back, starting on Tuesday against Napoli.
"Three consecutive defeats in all competitions is an indication that we are going through a difficult time," Mandanda told the club's official TV station.
"Despite the loss and the fact that we conceded a goal, our performance against Nice wasn't bad. Obviously we are not happy, but we are united," he added.
Elie Baup's men cannot afford another defeat, which would leave them with zero points, and a serious hole to dig themselves out of.
"We have to turn our anger and frustration into determination against Napoli," Baup told reporters. "I have not seen my players downbeat."
The hosts will welcome back Dimitri Payet, after he missed their last match against Nice due to suspension. As for Napoli, Rafa Benitez will have a nearly full squad to choose from for their match at the Velodrome. The only missing pieces will be Miguel Britos and Juan Zuniga, who have been ruled out with injuries.
Napoli got their UCL campaign started in bright fashion, defeating Dortmund 2-1 at home. New signing Gonzalo Higuain scored a goal in that match, but the former Real Madrid striker has missed the club's last two fixtures with a hamstring injury.
Having played against AS Roma this weekend, it appears as if the Argentine will be available on Tuesday night in France.
With the Italian's currently third in the group, and coming off a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates, getting back on track against Marseille could prove to be frustrating. Napoli's Marek Hamsik believes his side will bounce back after losing to Roma on Friday, but is aware of the difficulties his side could face on Tuesday.
"I am certain that we can react immediately," Hamsik told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I didn't have a good game and we need to play better at Marseille than we did at Roma. We face a difficult game as Marseille are one of the best teams in the Ligue 1."
Getting points in France could be a very important step to progressing out of the group, but the hosts can also re-launch their UCL campaign with a victory over Benitez's squad.
Where to watch the match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Marseille vs Napoli live on Tuesday, October 22, 2013:
In Canada at 14:45 ET on: Sportsnet World Online
In the UK at 19:45 BST on: Sky Sports Red Button
In the USA at 14:45 ET on: Fox Soccer 2Go
If you are in Italy, and are looking to following this match live, you can do so on Sky Calcio 2 and Sky Sport 3 HD Italia. For those fans who are outside these viewing areas, be sure to visit the Marseille vs Napoli match page for full TV listings in your area.
