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Feyenoord have only won one of eight matches against French clubs, beating Stade de Reims 2-1 on aggregate in 1963. The Dutch giants have never lost a Europa Conference League home match, winning seven and drawing the other.
This’ll be Olympique Marseille’s eighth semi-final in UEFA competition, winning five of seven to date. OM have won two of four knockout ties against Dutch opposition, with both victories coming in 2009, against FC Twente and Ajax.
Both teams to score is 8/13.
Draw and both teams to score is 10/3.
Luis Sinisterra is 11/2 to break the deadlock and 13/8 to add to his ten Europa Conference League goals.
Dimitri Payet has scored four times in Europe this season, taking his tally to 14 in UEFA club competitions. He’s 15/2 to open the scoring and 9/4 to score anytime.
Match preview
On the other side of the draw, AS Roma take on Leicester City, while this tie is a heavyweight clash between two former European champions.
Olympique de Marseille remain the only French European Cup winners, beating A.C. Milan 1-0 in the final 29 years ago.
However, due to PSG’s monopolisation of domestic honours, OM haven’t lifted any silverware since beating Lyon in the 2012 Coupe de la Ligue Final.
Thus, since dropping down from the Europa League in December, Jorge Sampaoli’s side have gone all out to win this competition.
Les Phocéens have won all six knockout matches, getting past Qarabağ 6-1, FC Basel 4-2 and then PAOK 3-1.
Dimitri Payet scoring in both legs of the previous round, bagged a stunning volley at home before tapping home from close-range in Thessaloniki.
This is the first time Marseille have won seven connective European games and this’ll be their seventh UEFA semi-final, equalling the French record held by Monaco and PSG.
Domestically, les Olympiens are still second in Ligue 1 following Sunday night’s 1-0 win at Reins.
This means, so far, they’ve won 11 of 17 away league games (65%), their best win-rate in a top-flight campaign ever.
Will Marseille’s fantastic form, both domestically and abroad, continue in Rotterdam?
Feyenoord meanwhile were the first Dutch European Cup winners, beating Celtic in 1970, and have since lifted the UEFA Cup in 1974 and 2002.
Now, through to their first European semi-final since the latter, they’re dreaming of becoming the maiden Europa Conference League champions.
Arne Slot’s side have already played 16 matches in this season’s competition, beginning in the second qualifying round last July.
But, since topping their group, they’ve been involved in two thrilling knockout ties, ousting Partizan Belgrade 8-3 and Slavia Praha 6-4.
A fortnight ago, in the Czech capital, Cyriel Dessers’ brace helped his side to a 3-1 victory that saw off Slavia.
In the Eredivisie, Luis Sinisterra’s 96th minute winner saw them beat Utrecht 2-1 on Sunday, securing a third league win in a row.
As a result they remain third, seven points below PSV Eindhoven and three clear of Twente.
Here, who will claim a first leg lead at De Kuip?
Feyenoord team news
Arne Slot’s team are not at full strength right now.
They’re missing first-choice goalkeeper Justin Bijlow and star centre-back Marcos Senesi due to foot and groin injuries respectively.
Also, midfielders Jens Toornstra, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Guus Til, who scored a hat-trick against FC Drita in qualifying, are all out too.
So, Ofir Marciano will continue to deputise in goal with Marcus Holmgren Pedersen coming in alongside Gernot Trauner at the back.
Orkun Kökçü will look to dictate midfield and get the ball forward to their dangerous front line.
Colombian Luis Sinisterra has scored 12 European goals for Feyenoord, ten of which have come this season.
Just three players have netted more times in UEFA club competition for the Dutch giants.
They are: Lex Schoenmaker, Willem van Hanegem and Theo de Jong, all of whom played for the club at some point during the 1970s.
Alongside Sinisterra, Cyriel Dessers will lead the line but, on the right-wing, Patrik Wålemark could displace Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson.
Olympique Marseille team news
In contrast, Jorge Sampaoli’s squad is pretty much at full strength.
Steve Mandanda has now made 608 appearances for Marseille, by far the most of any player in the club’s history.
In the PAOK away game, the 37 year old made five saves and kept a clean sheet, his best performance in that regard since September 2019.
At the other end of the pitch, Dimitri Payet was rested on Sunday, but will return to attack, alongside Cengiz Ünder and Arkadiusz Milik.
Duje Ćaleta-Car was also left in reserve against Reims, but will come back in at centre-back, alongside William Saliba.
Gerson was sent off in the quarter-final first leg but is available again after serving his one-match ban.
Eredivisie table:
Ligue 1 table:
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