Interim Marseille boss Jacques Abardonado insisted his "wounded" Marseille side are out for revenge in their first game since parting company with Roberto De Zerbi. 

De Zerbi, who led Marseille to a second-placed finish in Ligue 1 last season, left the club by mutual consent on Monday following a 5-0 defeat to champions Paris Saint-Germain. 

Their defeat at Parc des Princes was Marseille's third Ligue 1 loss in their last seven matches (W3 D1), as many as in their previous 19 games in the top flight. 

It was a result that left Marseille 12 points behind PSG and fourth in the table ahead of their clash with Strasbourg at Orange Velodrome this Saturday. 

Despite being sacked by Rennes earlier in the week, Habib Beye is reportedly top of Marseille's shortlist for the club's next permanent head coach.

And though a decision is yet to be made on De Zerbi's successor, Abardonado intends to keep the focus on the job in hand. 

"I know the situation because I've been there before. I'm facing up to it. I found a wounded group," Abardonado told reporters. 

"We tried to bring some positivity with simple things in order to approach the match against Strasbourg in the best possible way.

"The coach [De Zerbi] was wonderful; he accepted me into his inner circle of assistants. We'll see tomorrow what I'm going to change. 

"We're going to take to the pitch with a winning attitude. We're all hungry for revenge; we'll face up to our responsibilities, me first and then the players."

Abardonado did, however, place some blame on the Marseille players in that their poor form resulted in De Zerbi, who has since been linked to the vacant Tottenham job, leaving.

"They are responsible, just as we all are. They feel responsible and want to make amends," Abardonado added. 

"We have to win the next match. They want to make up for it. They have that desire, they want to make an effort and there will be a reaction."

But most importantly, the temporary Marseille boss wants to see a response to the humiliating defeat to Luis Enrique's side in Le Classique last time out. 

Indeed, it was Marseille's heaviest defeat in all competitions since August 2017 at Monaco in Ligue 1 (1-6). 

"We have to, the championship isn't over. We have a French Cup quarter-final. We have to react and question ourselves every day," Abardonado said. 

"The players know they have to respond. The players have to enjoy themselves. You can always make up for it in football. We have to move forward."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Marseille – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could play his 50th Ligue 1 game, and he will be keen to mark the occasion with a victory.

Since his arrival at Marseille, he has made the most forward passes in the top-flight (1,128). He also ranks second for line-breaking passes over that period (669, behind Vitinha with 743).

Strasbourg – Martial Godo

Martial Godo scored his 11th goal in all competitions this season with Strasbourg against Le Havre last time out, with only Joaquin Panichelli (13) doing better at the club.

Among African players playing for a club in the top five European leagues, only Antoine Semenyo (14) and Serhou Guirassy (13) have done better than Godo.

MATCH PREDICTION: MARSEILLE WIN

Marseille have not lost any of their last 20 home games against Strasbourg in all competitions (W11 D9), but they have drawn their last three such encounters.

However, they have lost three of their last seven Ligue 1 matches (W3 D1), as many as they had in their previous 19 (W13 D3), which ultimately resulted in De Zerbi's dismissal.

But at Orange Velodrome, they have been a force to be reckoned with. Marseille have won 10 of their 15 home matches in the 2025-26 season in all competitions (D2 L3), as many as in the 2024-25 season (D5 L3).

Strasbourg, meanwhile, have lost six of their last 11 league matches (W3 D2), as many defeats as in their previous 31 games in the competition combined (W19 D6).

They have also won just one of their last eight away matches in Ligue 1 (D2 L5), a 4-1 victory against Lille on 25 January, and they face a side next who they have struggled against.

Indeed, Strasbourg have conceded more Ligue 1 goals against Marseille than any other team (171). They have also kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 top-flight games against this weekend’s opponents (32 goals conceded).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Marseille – 54.7%

Draw – 22.3%

Strasbourg – 23%