Marseille v Groningen background

After ending a barren spell at home, Olympique de Marseille need to record another win against eliminated FC Groningen to maintain their push for one of the top spots in UEFA Europa League Group F.

• If Marseille lose and FC Slovan Liberec beat SC Braga in the other Group F game, the French side will join Groningen in being eliminated.

Previous meetings
• Marseille prevailed 3-0 at Groningen on matchday one – the worst European home result in the Dutch club's history. That victory ended a run of ten European fixtures without a win for OM.

• Marseille's 14 matches against Dutch sides have ended W6 D2 L6 (W3 D1 L3 at home).

• Groningen's only previous encounter with French opponents was also a 3-0 defeat, at Montpellier Hérault SC in the 1997 UEFA Intertoto Cup group stage.

Form guide
• Marseille's 1-0 triumph over Braga on matchday four ended a run of five consecutive home defeats in UEFA competition.

• Groningen have scored just one goal – and picked up just one point – in Group F. They have not won in six UEFA away trips (D3 L3) since a 2-0 UEFA Intertoto Cup success at FC Spartak Varna in June 1997.

• Marseille have featured in this group stage in two previous campaigns – they made it through to the 2005/06 UEFA Cup round of 32, but missed the cut in the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League.

• Groningen are featuring in the group stage of a major UEFA competition for the first time. They are set to match their longest European campaign with their six Group F contests, having also played six matches by reaching the third round of the 1988/89 UEFA Cup.

Trivia and links
• The journey from Groningen to Marseille is just over 1,100km.

• Marseille boast Dutch talent in the form of centre-back Karim Rekik. The 20-year-old former Feyenoord trainee came to France this summer from Manchester City FC. He had spent the last two seasons on loan at PSV Eindhoven, with whom he won the 2014/15 Eredivisie title.

The coaches
• Míchel replaced Marcelo Bielsa as Marseille coach in August 2015. A two-time UEFA Cup winner with Real Madrid CF in the 1980s, he has coached Getafe CF and Sevilla FC in his native Spain and moved to France after leading Olympiacos FC to three successive Super League titles in Greece.

• Previously assistant coach, Peter van de Looi took sole command at Groningen in 2013; they qualified for Europe in his first season and last term won their first Dutch Cup. A former Dutch Under-21 international, he played UEFA Cup football with Vitesse, ending his injury-ravaged playing days at Groningen in 2002.