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Lokomotiv Moscow will host Marseille at the RSD Arena on Thursday on matchday one of the UEFA Europa League.
Lokomotiv Moscow finished third in the Russian Premier League last season and therefore secured an automatic spot in the Europa League. They are joined in the competition by their city rivals Spartak Moscow.
Lokomotiv Moscow will play Europa League football for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Parovozy played in the Champions League for three consecutive seasons since then but will now return to the Europa League.
Marseille also secured automatic Europa League qualification due to their fifth place finish in Ligue 1 last season. The Olympians will make an appearance in the Europa League group stages for the first time since the 2018-19 season when they picked up one point in six games.
Marseille famously got to the finals of the Europa League in the 2017-18 season but lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid. The Ligue 1 outfit will hope to go a step further in the European competition this time around.
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Marseille Head-to-Head
The meeting between Lokomotiv Moscow and Marseille on Thursday will be the first-ever meeting between the sides. Both sides will therefore be hoping to kick off their Europa League campaign with a victory.
Both teams have performed well in their individual domestic leagues this campaign and will be hoping to carry that form onto the European stage.
Lokomotiv Moscow Form Guide (All comps): D-D-W-D-W-W
Marseille Form Guide (All comps): W-W-W-D-W-W
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Marseille Team News
Lokomotiv Moscow
Anton Miranchuk has been in and out of the squad this year due to niggling injuries and is expected to be absent on Thursday. All other players are available for selection to manager Marko Nikolic.
Injured: Anton Miranchuk
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Marseille
Striker Arkadiusz Milik hasn't featured for Marseille since his permanent switch from Napoli last summer due to a knee injury. He is a doubt for Jorge Sampaoli's side ahead of Thursday's game.
Injured: None
Doubtful: Arkadiusz Milik
Suspended: None
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Marseille Predicted XI
Lokomotiv Moscow Predicted XI (4-4-2): Guilherme Marinato; Dmitri Zhivoglyadov, Tin Jedvaj, Stanislav Magkeev, Maciej Rybus; Rifat Zhemaletdinov, Dmitriy Barinov, Daniil Kulikov, Francois Kamano; Gyrano Kerk, Fedor Smolov
Marseille Predicted XI (3-3-1-3): Steve Mandanda, William Saliba, Leonardo Balerdi, Luan Peres; Boubacar Kamara, Valentin Rongier, Matteo Guendouzi; Gerson; Konrad de la Fuente, Dimitri Payet, Cengiz Under
Lokomotiv Moscow vs Marseille Prediction
Lokomotiv Moscow are enjoying a good spell in their domestic league so far this campaign. After losing 3-0 to Zenit St. Petersburg in the Russian Super Cup, Lokomotiv Moscow have now gone on a seven-game unbeaten run in the league.
Marseille are also in superb form under Jorge Sampaoli this campaign. After going unbeaten in seven pre-season games, Marseille have begun the season similarly with three wins and a draw in four Ligue 1 games so far.
With both sides in good form, the points could be shared on Thursday.
Prediction: Lokomotiv Moscow 1-1 Marseille
