Marseille are known to have the largest fan base in French football and this should see the Stade Vélodrome filled to capacity as they entertain Turkish side Besiktas in their first live Champions League football match of the season. Marseille are a past winner of the Champions League but have had little success since that time over a decade ago, being found primarily in the Uefa cup each season.

Unfortunately for Marseille manager Albert Emon his side have found the start of the season very difficult in their domestic football and may have hoped to have played an away match to ease any pressure from frustrated home fans. Marseille have become known as draw specialists following their form so far and it would be no surprise if the match ended as a draw. Strikers Djibril Cisse and Mamadou Niang have given the French side an average of almost a goal each game but the defence have leaked slightly more leaving them nearer the bottom of the French Ligue 1 Table.

The Marseille players will be desperate to take points in their first live football match as they know that they have much harder games to come in this tough group, if they are going to have any hope of progressing then this game and the return are games which they must surely win. Besiktas will feel exactly the same, but will also feel that they have the advantage of having played several qualifying games to reach this stage, coupled with the fact that they are second and so far unbeaten in their Turkish Super Lig and they are quite entitled to feel confident of taking points in this live football match.

Besiktas manager Ertugrul Saglam will hope that combining the passion of his home grown players with the skills of his Brazilian and Argentinean players will prove too much of a match for their opponents Marseille and also the other teams in their group.