Marseille can get back on track by beating Lazio

Matchday three
From 5.55pm Thursday

Europa League finalists Marseille can get their Group H campaign back on track by beating Lazio at the Stade Velodrome.

Former Roma boss Rudi Garcia has got Marseille flying domestically but he needs to make a statement in Europe if they are to match last season’s feat after taking just one point from their opening two games.

Sunday’s 1-0 win at Nice was a confidence-booster and they’ll be happy that Lazio head for France without suspended forward Joaquin Correa.

Lazio were crushed 4-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt in the previous round of games and Garcia insists he is focused only on the Italians despite the game coming three days before they welcome champions Paris St-Germain in Ligue 1.

Group I couldn't be closer with all four sides taking three points from their first two games and both outsiders are worth chancing on Thursday.

• Bruce Millington: Manchester United faring worse than Arsenal in life after two dugout legends

Genk won all six of their qualifying ties going into the group phase and kicked off their group campaign with a 2-0 win against Malmo. Defeat at Sarpsborg last time out was a surprise but they can avoid defeat at Besiktas, where the Turks don’t look anywhere near as strong as usual.

Besiktas have only won one of their last five and you wonder how long they can keep relying on old stagers such as Pepe, Ricardo Quaresma, Gary Medel and Vagner Love.

Sarpsborg look underrated against Malmo in the other tie in that section.

Larnaca and Ludogorets look to be out of the running in Group A having each lost their openers. But Cypriot football is on the up and Larnaca are strong on their home island – they play their Europa League ties in Nicosia rather than Larnaca.

Recommendations
Marseille
1pt 8-7 188Bet
Genk draw no bet
1pt 6-4 bet365, Betfred
Sarpsborg draw no bet
1pt 13-10 BoyleSports
Larnaca draw no bet
1pt 6-5 BoyleSports

Bet on these games at Soccerbase.com

Read every day for no-nonsense previews and expert sports betting tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport