Habib Beye plans to build a "dominant" Marseille squad following his appointment as head coach.

The former Marseille player was named in the role following Roberto De Zerbi's exit earlier this month, leaving the Ligue 1 side in a difficult position.

Marseille have not won any of their last three league matches (D2 L1), but they have not gone four games without a victory in the top-flight since March-April 2024 (five).

They are currently fourth in the French top-flight, five points behind Lyon in third, as they prepare to face Brest on Friday.

Beye is determined to bring excitement back to the club, but insists his game plan would not be in full effect against Brest.

"It’s a great source of pride. I’m very happy to be here," said Beye in his first press conference after his arrival on Wednesday.

"You know how attached I am to this club. It’s a very special moment. I experienced it as a player, and now I’m experiencing it as a coach.

"We need to get the emotions out. In the next 24 hours, make contact with the group, try to have an influence. The impact will be limited.

"We need to be a vertical team that plays football. With this quality of players, we need to be dominant.  We need to get excited here, it’s important for the supporters.

"We need to value the work of OM in recent years. There has been spectacular football at times. You have to breathe this city, feel it, and embody it. You have to convey that.

"It's an asset for me. I'm going to have to be able to capture that."

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 session for 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗲  pic.twitter.com/X3k8aCWL48

— Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) February 19, 2026

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brest – Lucas Tousart

Among players with at least 300 minutes played in Ligue 1 this season, Brest midfielder Tousart has made the most pressures per 90 minutes (130).

Brest are also the second among teams for pressed sequences per match in Ligue 1 2025-26 (481), behind Angers (503).

Marseille – Mason Greenwood

Greenwood faces Brest having scored a brace in his first Ligue 1 match against them in August 2024.

He has already scored more goals in all competitions in 2025-26 (23) than in 2024-25 (22) – only Didier Drogba (32 in 2003-04), Florian Thauvin (26 in 2017-18) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (30 in 2023-24) have netted more goals in all competitions in a single season for Marseille in the 21st century.

MATCH PREDICTION – MARSEILLE WIN

Since their return to Ligue 1 in 2019-20, only Paris Saint-Germain (11) have beaten Brest more often than Marseille in the division (eight).

Brest have lost four of their last six home Ligue 1 matches against Marseille (W1 D1), after remaining unbeaten in each of their first nine home top-flight meetings with them beforehand (W6 D3).

However, Marseille have conceded 10 goals in their last three away games in all competitions, as many as in their previous 10. In 2026, they also have the worst defence away from home in Ligue 1, with nine goals conceded.

And Brest have picked up 13 points against teams in the top half of the Ligue 1 table this season (W3 D4 L5), more than any other side currently ranked 10th or lower.

Brest have won four of their last five home games in Ligue 1 (L1), after only winning one of their previous six (D3 L2).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Brest – 27.5%

Draw – 24.8%

Marseille – 47.7%