Calm and civilised Swiss host the rude and rowdy Marseille hordes

It seems as if this season has been going on for a few years now for Olympique de Marseille. So many changes, so many ups and downs under the guidance of the peculiar Argentinean coach Jorge Sampaoli and so many reasons to believe that good things will come.

Last weekend, Marseille climbed into Ligue 1 second spot and will have a good chance to play in the Champions League next season. But until then, they are trying to make their mark in the inaugural season of the UEFA Europa Conference League. In the round of 16 first leg, Les Marseilles beat Swiss club Basel 2-1 with Polish hitman Arkadiusz Milik getting both goals.

Sampaoli is often accused of over-complicating tactics and constantly changing plans, by players and club president Pablo Longoria as well as fans. But you cannot argue with results, can you?

The Olympians will probably field former Arsenal misfit Sead Kolasinac tonight. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international defender promises to enter the second leg as if the aggregate score were still 0-0.

"I feel good, I feel better and better with each training session. I'm ready and I'm happy to play again. As a left-back you have to give your best both offensively and defensively. I try to help the team as much as possible, but football is a team sport, you don't play alone, so the most important thing is to be united on the pitch. Thus, the performance of the team will be better. Our goal is to give the maximum and help each other to make the team work well."

This will also be a nice chance for the Marseille fans to go and have a party around the normally quiet and squeaky clean Swiss town of Basel. The picturesque place will be a hotbed of football action - at least for a day.

UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Last 16, second leg

Thursday

20.45: (3.90) Copenhagen (3.50) PSV (1.95) /first leg 4-4/

20.45: (1.53) AZ Alkmaar (4.20) Bodo (6.25) /first leg 1-2/

20.45: (1.85) Rennes (3.70) Leicester (4.60) /first leg 0-2/

20.45: (3.80) Basel (3.50) Olympique Marseille (2.10) /first leg 1-2/

23.00: (1.42) Feyenoord (4.60) Partizan (7.50) /first leg 5-2/

23.00: (1.75) Gent (3.60) PAOK (5.60) /first leg 0-1/

23.00: (3.00) LASK (3.50) Slavia Praha (2.45) /first leg 1-4/

23.00: (1.55) Roma (4.30) Vitesse (6.75) /first leg 1-0/

***odds are subject to change