Why Marseille could be Champions League dark horses ahead of meeting with Union Saint-Gilloise

Meeting for the first time in over a century, Marseille face Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League at Lotto Park, the very side they began their European journey against 63 years ago.

Former Champions League winners looking to replicate their past success

Since their European debut all those years ago, Marseille have since lifted the Champions League in the 1992/93 campaign, beating AC Milan in the final.

Despite this being Marseille’s only form of European silverware, they have also progressed to the final hurdle of the Europa League in the 2017/18 campaign. However, on that occasion, the Ligue 1 outfit were beaten by Atlético Madrid. It wasn’t far back that Marseille were playing in the last four of the 2023/24 Europa League against the eventual winners of the competition, Atalanta, either.

Marseille’s attacking can be unbeatable on their day

Well, that’s certainly a definite possibility with the firepower they have in the final third. Despite getting set to depart for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with Gabon in the coming days, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still expected to lead the line in Belgium.

The veteran striker has already scored three goals and provided the same number of assists in this season’s competition. Alongside 11 attacking returns in Ligue 1 (G5, A6).

Aubameyang is expected to have the leading marksman in Ligue 1 so far this season playing in the number 10 role behind him.

Mason Greenwood has been domestically unparalleled in front of goal by any player this season. Although his 10 league goals haven’t yet been translated onto the European front, with only one in five, everyone knows that in football form is temporary, but class is permanent.

If you wanted to use that as a comparison with Greenwood’s domestic and European form, he could easily fire Marseille to three points tonight.

Either side of Greenwood looks likely to be Timothy Weah, the son of legendary striker George Weah, and Igor Paixão. When you’re the son of George, you will always have an eye for a goal.

In Brazilian baller Paixão’s case, he has already found the back of the net on three occasions in the Champions League this season. Holding the joint-top scorer’s award alongside Aubameyang.

Marseille have the said firepower to win any game on their day, alongside the returning memories of their maiden European opposition.

Despite being a regular footballing entity across European shores, Marseille have struggled in this season’s competition. Roberto De Zerbi’s side have won only two of their five Champions League phase matches, losing the other three.

Past successes can still result in struggles

Marseille are currently four points adrift of the automatic Round of 16 2025/26 Champions League qualification positions. So, the mission of Tuesday’s match for the visitors is a very simple one on paper, and that is to take all three points.

Wins over Newcastle United and former winners of the competition, Ajax, have been coupled with disappointing defeats to Sporting, Atalanta, and Real Madrid. Those losses have left Marseille now ideally needing to win all three of their remaining Champions League phase matches to qualify.

So could Marseille roll back the clock and use Tuesday’s match as a springboard towards qualifying for the next stage of the competition for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign.