Marseille advanced to this stage of the tournament after eliminating SL Benfica 4-2 on penalty kicks in the second leg for a dramatic ending to the tie. On the other side, the Italian team moved past Liverpool, winning 3-1 on aggregate, with all three goals coming in the first leg at Anfield.

This Europa League tie will be the first official meeting between the two teams, who aim to reach the final later this month in Ireland at Dublin Arena. The last time Atalanta faced a French side was Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League in 2020, falling 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

OM are also in their second semifinal in three years in a UEFA competition as the Ligue 1 team reached the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022, where they fell short of reaching the final after losing to Feyenoord. 

Heading into this match against OM, Atalanta are riding a three-match win streak across all competitions. The Serie A side has victories over Monza, Fiorentina (Coppa Italia), and Empoli, where the attack has scored eight total goals while the defense has only conceded two goals, so Gian Piero Gasperini and his team are traveling to France with positive momentum.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 👀 pic.twitter.com/i8gKYt056c

— Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) May 1, 2024

As for Marseille, they recently faced adversity under manager Jean-Louis Gasset, who was appointed to the job in February. OM had a three-match losing streak in Ligue 1, but the squad is starting to turn the situation around as they're currently on a four-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. 

If Les Phocéens want to start the tie on the right foot in the first 90 minutes, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangwill have to be the catalyst for their attack. The veteran striker is at the heart of OM's offense and has two goals and one assist in his last two games.

Both teams will aim to have the upper hand when the scene for this tie shifts to Gewiss Stadium for the second leg on May 9th. 

>>FOCUS: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Heart of OM's Attack

>>FOCUS: OM's Home-Pitch Advantage This Season