- Liverpool have won two and lost one of their three UEFA Champions League away games, conceding only 0.67 goals per game on average.
- Marseille have won two and lost one of their three UEFA Champions League home games, averaging 2.00 goals per game scored and 0.67 conceded.
De Zerbi’s dynamic team can cause a stir
Marseille are probably the more dynamic team of these two sides, with Roberto De Zerbi having stamped his footprint firmly on a club side that plays a bold, possession-first style. They can morph into a 3-2-5 or 3-1-6 in the final third, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the engine of the attack, orchestrating their play in the centre of the pitch with five assists in six Champions League games.
Igor Paixao is their most consistent goal threat, with four goals in six games in Europe’s premier competition, but they’re likely to be more dangerous in the central areas than from wide positions. De Zerbi’s tweaks over recent weeks have made them a high-tempo, risk-taking side, but one that overloads the centre and hits opponents in wide areas with pacey attackers.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are the epitome of a calm, structure-first side under Arne Slot. His system has led to some fantastic positional play, with inverted full-backs, a double pivot, and a 4-2-3-1 that can transform into a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 at the drop of a hat. They’re a much more disciplined side than Marseille, pressing in a patient, trigger-based manner in order to control the game, while Dominik Szoboszlai is a key cog in their attacking play, scoring three goals in six Champions League matches.
