AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth's final pre-season game ahead of the new campaign takes place against Marseille at Vitality Stadium. Here's a closer look at the Ligue 1 outfit.
Overview
Full name: Olympique de Marseille
Head coach: Rudi Garcia
Kit colours: White and blue (home), black (away), blue (third)
Home ground: Stade Velodrome
Capacity: 67,394
2017/18 Season
Ligue 1: 4th
Europa League: Runners-up
Couple de France: Quarter-finals
Coupe de la Ligue: Round of 16
Top scorer: Florian Thauvin (25 all competitions)
Expert view
After a season of upheaval in 2016/17 - where the club were taken into fresh ownership by Frank McCourt, went through three presidents and waited until October to name a permanent manager - the 2017/18 campaign was one where L’OM stumbled before finding their feet and thriving under the guidance of Rudi Garcia.
The Frenchman, who led Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2011, was under severe pressure after a 6-1 hammering by Monaco at the end of August was followed by a 3-1 home reverse against Rennes. But from there Marseille lost just once in the next five months and would only lose five times in total - less than anyone bar bitter rivals PSG - as they finished fourth.
As the season progressed however it was their Europa League exploits that caught the eye, the Olympians saving their best for Europe. In a well-structured 4-2-3-1 formation with Dimitri Payet operating as a No.10 and Florian Thauvin thriving on the right flank, Marseille fired their way past Athletic Bilbao in the last 16 before a thrilling 5-3 aggregate win over RB Leipzig in the last eight, with Payet scoring the goal of the tournament.
An Antoine Griezmann-inspired Atletico Madrid proved too strong in the final but a young side’s stock rose considerably during the course of the campaign and more will be expected this term.
Thauvin was the season’s breakout star, top-scoring with 25 goals and firing his way into France’s World Cup squad, while hard-working Argentine winger Lucas Ocampos came of age on the opposite flank.
Payet was string-puller-in-chief and will captain the side once more this term, while Morgan Sanson, a tenacious central midfielder with a keen eye for a pass and 12 goals last season, will again look to thrive.
Garcia wants his side to play offensively, to make the pitch as big as possible and to dominate possession. But he is also a pragmatist and has set about overhauling an ageing defence, adding 21-year-old Croatian powerhouse Duje Carlota-Car - arriving from RB Salzburg - for big money in the summer.
Midfield anchorman Andre-Frank Anguissa is a player with a burgeoning reputation and is one to watch in the coming campaign.
Alex Richards (@AA_Richards) is an expert European footballer write for the Mirror.
