Expect Marseille to line up in their usual 4-3-3, with width and pace out wide. The double pivot in midfield will look to control the tempo, while the front three stretch the play and look to knife through the lines. The full-backs push high, and the crowd will demand intensity from the first whistle. This is a side built to suffocate opponents at home, pressing high and forcing errors. Strasbourg, likely in a 4-2-3-1, will try to stay compact and hit on the break. But after that Elversberg horror show, their back line will be nervy. The midfield dogfight will be key — if Marseille win that, they'll dominate the ball and create chance after chance.

Strasbourg's best hope is to sit deep, absorb pressure, and nick something on the counter. But that requires discipline and organisation — two things that were badly missing in their recent friendly. Marseille's wide players will target the full-back areas, and with a striker who thrives on service, the home side should create plenty. Set pieces could also be a factor — Marseille have the physical presence to cause chaos from dead balls. If Strasbourg's keeper is called into action early, the noise will only grow.