After a two-season hiatus, Tottenham will begin life in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) when they welcome Marseille to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday.
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)
Key Statistics
Tottenham are unbeaten in their last 12 games (W8, D4).
The hosts have won their last six competitive games at home.
Their last four group stages in all UEFA competitions have produced an average of at least three total goals per game.
Tottenham’s Antonio Conte has never progressed beyond the UCL group stage as a manager.
Marseille are unbeaten in their last seven competitive games (W6, D1).
They have kept three consecutive clean sheets ahead of this game.
The visitors have failed to win a group stage away trip in UEFA’s two highest tiers (D4, L8) in more than five years.
Head to head
This will be the first meeting between both clubs.
Latest performances in all competitions
Tottenham: W-D-W-W-D
Marseille: W-W-W-W-D
Tottenham Hotspur
Three seasons after missing out of the UEFA Champions League, Tottenham return to Europe’s top club competition this Wednesday as they welcome Marseille to London looking to take home all three points and continue their resurgence under Antonio Conte.
The hosts made the finals of the 2018/2019 UCL season under Mauricio Pochettino. However, since after that season, they have been on the decline, missing out of the tournament in two seasons before returning last season thanks to a dramatic end to the season that saw them win four of their last six league games to pip north London rivals Arsenal to the top four position.
They have since carried that late season form into the new season with four wins and two draws in their opening six games. Their last outing was a 2-1 win over Fulham at home in the league.
The result made it six consecutive wins at home cementing the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a place where they can find their strength.
Given their strong 78% win rate at home (W7, L2) across their last three group stages in all UEFA competitions, compared with just 22% away from home (W2, D3, L4), they will come into this tie confident of getting a positive result.
However, manager Conte does not have a good record in this competition. For all of the success he has enjoyed, the Italian has never progressed beyond the UCL group stage as a manager.
But a solid start to the new season will give him hope that he can dominate this fairly easy group also consisting of Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon.
Possible Tottenham starting line-up
Hugo Lloris; Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Ben Davies; Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Emerson Royal; Dejan Kulusevski, Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son.
Injured: Lucas Moura
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Marseille
Marseille will look to continue their impressive start to the season when they travel to London on Wednesday.
The French Ligue 1 side have begun the season in good form. Like their hosts, they are also undefeated in 2022/23, having won five of their opening six games (D1).
Their current form means that they sit second in the league table on goal difference having collected more points in their first six league fixtures than in any season since 2012/13.
Their impressive start to the season has been down to the good work done by new manager Igor Tudor who replaced Jorge Sampaoli this summer.
With the Croatian having united a divided dressing room and fanbase, Marseille will feel ready to challenge for at least the second spot in this group.
Possible Marseille starting line-up
Pau Lopez; Chancel Mbemba, Eric Bailly, Samuel Gigot; Jonathan Clauss, Valentin Rongier, Nuno Tavares, Gerson; Cengiz Under, Matteo Guendouzi; Luis Suarez.
Injured: Samuel Gigot, Pablo Ruiz, Dimitri Payet
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Alexis Sanchez
Prediction
Tottenham 2-1 Marseille
