UCL Wednesday Preview: OM head to Sporting, Monaco welcome Spurs
After a strong start to the week in the Champions League for Ligue 1 McDonald's on the part of Paris Saint-Germain, Olympi1ue de Marseille and AS Monaco will look to keep things going tomorrow. Read on as we preview both matches.
Marseille look to continue strong form
Setting aside the capital side's 7-2 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen earlier today, one would be hard-pressed to find a team more in form in France than Olympique de Marseille. After thrashing Ajax 4-0 before the break, they thumped Le Havre 6-2 at the weekend and now they'll be back in action against Sporting Club de Portugal. With a loss on the road to Napoli and a home win against Almaty Kairat, like the French side, Sporting have work to do in Europe if they're to hope to reach the knockout rounds.
Speaking of his counterpart Roberto de Zerbi's side, Sporting coach Rui Borges was frank, saying, "If we want to be in this competition, we have to face the best teams in their best moments. We respect Marseille for the quality of their coach, from whom I'm learning, and for their good players.... You can clearly see the quality." That quality will be on full display in Lisbon, despite the absences of Facundo Medina and Amine Gouiri. With l'OM likely to play a 3-4-3 against a similarly attack-minded opponent, this should be a high-octane encounter.
En route pour 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞 🇵🇹✈️ pic.twitter.com/oV3QkpGH45
— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) October 21, 2025
Pocognoli gets set to lead Monaco in Europe
As for Marseille's rivals, AS Monaco, they'll face a slightly taller order as their injury-hit squad welcomes an English side for the second matchday running, in the form of Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs haven't entered this match in top form, having only scraped a draw against Bodo Glimt in the previous round, but with players like Xavi Simons and Mohamed Kudus to call upon, manager Thomas Frank will hope to get one over on the Principality side.
He'll try to match wits with a new face on the sideline at the Stade Louis II in the form of Sébastien Pocognoli, recently installed as Monaco manager. Pocognoli arrives in Ligue 1 off the back of an impressive spell in charge of Union Saint-Gilloise, having led the unheralded Belgian club to the title last year. Now installed on the bench at Monaco, he'll have to take on the Europa League champions without not only their former player Eric Dier, but also midfielders Denis Zakaria and Lamine Camara, defender Vanderson and goalkeeper Lucas Hradecky, making his European debut for his new club a potentially difficult one.
