In a dramatic twist, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the seasoned striker, is set to face his former club, Monaco, as Marseille aims to reignite their title aspirations. But will history repeat itself?
Aubameyang, once a star at Arsenal and Barcelona, is no stranger to the French football scene. His journey began in Monaco, where he started his professional career, but it was at Saint-Etienne that he truly made his mark, scoring goals galore. After a period of loan spells across France, courtesy of AC Milan, he found himself back at Monaco in 2010, only to be transferred to Saint-Etienne shortly after.
His career then soared to new heights, winning trophies in England, Spain, and Germany with Jurgen Klopp's thrilling Dortmund side. Now, at 36, he's back at Marseille, having initially joined from Chelsea two years ago. This season, he's been in exceptional form, with eight goals and ten assists across 19 appearances.
But here's where it gets tricky. Marseille, under Roberto De Zerbi, has struggled recently, especially after a golden opportunity to overtake their rivals, Paris Saint-Germain, slipped through their fingers. A win against Toulouse in late November could have put them at the summit, but a last-gasp equalizer dashed their hopes.
The woes continued with a 1-0 loss to Lille, leaving them in third place, five points behind the unexpected leaders, Lens. Meanwhile, Monaco, their upcoming opponents, have had an even rockier season, sitting in seventh, six points adrift of Marseille.
The game on November 29th against PSG seemed to be a turning point for Marseille, but their recent loss to Brest suggests otherwise. Both teams, however, come into this fixture with midweek Champions League wins under their belts, boosting morale.
An intriguing stat to note: Aubameyang has only managed one victory against Monaco in six attempts. Will he break the curse this time around? If he ends his three-game goal drought, Marseille might just have a shot at reclaiming their title hopes.
Meanwhile, PSG, the reigning champions, have a chance to temporarily reclaim the top spot on Saturday if they avoid defeat against Metz. And in a surprising turn of events, Lens, the league leaders, will look to extend their lead when they face Nice, a club in crisis.
Keep an eye on Florian Thauvin, the 2018 World Cup winner. Since returning to France from Tigres in Mexico, he's been instrumental in Lens' remarkable rise to the top of Ligue 1. With five league goals, three of which came in the last two games, his passing and scoring abilities could be decisive in their upcoming match.
And this is the part most fans will want to know: Marseille has conceded in the last 15 minutes of their last four games across all competitions. Will they hold their nerve this time? Only time will tell.
Controversial Prediction: Marseille to win, but Monaco to score first, setting up a thrilling comeback. Do you agree? Let the debate begin in the comments!
