Marseille have the first chance of the game. Amine Harit lashes in a free-kick from 20 yards. It's central but it's got a bit of swerve and Jason Steele tips it over.

The corner comes to nothing.

Edson Alvarez rises to try and win a header but he is late and leads with his arm. It's a clear foul. The referee doesn't see any need for further punishment.

Shortly after, Mohammed Kudus charges forward, weaving past a couple of challenges before his low ball is cut out by a third tackle.

Image source, Reuters

Marseille come forward but there's a miscommunication and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's pass rolls out of play.

Konstantinos Mavropanos with a chance to impress tonight. This isn't the way to do it - his loose touch almost allowing Freiburg to nip in and run in on goal. Thankfully for the defender, he recovers to find his keeper.

Good atmosphere at the Velodrome. The pitch isn't the best because it's been hosting games in the Rugby Word Cup.

Thilo Kehrer at left-back here for West Ham. His first act is to rise high to win a clearing header as Freiburg look to launch an attack down the right.

Image source, Getty Images

Robbie Savage
Ex-Wales midfielder on TNT Sports

I am really excited about West Ham in Europe. I watched them last year in the final of the Conference League, what a night.

I am really looking forward to this.

There are no West Ham fans in the ground tonight. The club is not permitted to have supporters at this game due to a UEFA ruling following the behaviour of some at the Europa Conference League final.

So don't be caught off if the Hammers score and it's greeted with utter silence.

Image source, Reuters

Right then, let's get this show on the road.

We are getting under way in the 17:45 BST kick-offs across Europe, most notably the games involving Brighton and West Ham.

The players are out for the games and it's almost time to go in France and Germany.

West Ham United

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West Ham manager David Moyes speaking to TNT Sports about making five changes for the match against SC Freiburg: "Just really following the path we have taken in the last couple of years. This game is a difficult game. it will be a tough game but we have tough games coming up all the time."

On Jarrod Bowen: "I am not going to answer anything to do with Jarrod [Bowen] in the England team before a West Ham cup match so can we keep the questions to West Ham please?"

But what does he bring to your team? "He is a really good player and is good for us in a couple of different positions."

On Freiburg: "They have been doing really well and they have done a good job. I know we are in for a tough game today."

On away fans not being there? "Part of getting into Europe is that you want the supporters to have these trips and I'd like to think we gave them some good ones last year as well. It is disappointing for us not to have them here but you can tell it is going to be a good atmosphere."

Marseille are having an awful time of it at the moment.

They have only won three games all season, and one of those was a Champions League play-off second leg that they lost on penalties.

Gennaro Gattuso replaced Marcelino as boss last week.

They have conceded 10 goals in their last three games.

"If we look at these matches, I think that can change," the Italian said. "The only way to do this is to consider that the first defence comes through the attacking players. You have to put it in place properly."

This game will be extra special to Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, who makes his European debut.

The 31-year-old made his Albion debut in a goalless draw with MK Dons in League One back in 2010.

"It's been a long old journey, an enjoyable journey and a journey I can see improving over the next years," he said.

"The pride I'll feel leading the team out, if I'm picked. Did I think I'd be sitting here in Marseille as captain of the club in the Europa League?

"No I didn't. But I've worked hard to get here alongside the football club. We're here now and I'm going to embrace every single moment of it."

Image source, Getty Images

Roberto de Zerbi said his Brighton side are playing "a different sport" this season.

Albion are having to juggle the Premier League with European football for the first time.

They have suffered several injuries this season, the latest to defender Pervis Estupinan.

"I don't like before the game to change so many players," he said. "If you play with the same eight or 11, you can play better. But I have to do it.

"I don't want to put my focus on Premier League or Europa League, we have to compete every game in every competition. But we have many difficult situations.

"I'm watching injuries in other teams. The injury of [Bukayo] Saka. At Newcastle as well. Italian clubs have lost a lot of important players though injury.

"In Italy there is a polemic about too many games for players. We are playing a different sport to last season. But I think we are going to be able to play in the same way."

SC Freiburg finished fifth in the Bundesliga last season, so they are going to offer a stern test.

However, this season they've yet to consistently recapture the form that almost propelled them to Champions League football.

In the first half of September, they were hit for five and four by Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund respectively. However, since then they have rallied, winning their Europa League opener and securing a draw and victory in the league.

They come into tonight's game off the back of a 2-0 win over Augsburg.

Hungarian midfielder Roland Sallai has been their main man this season, scoring three times in his seven appearances, including their first in the Europa League win over Olympiakos.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says Jurgen Klopp will have some "big decisions" to make regarding Liverpool's team selection for their Europa League fixture on Thursday evening.

The Reds face Union Saint-Gilloise at Anfield, a side who currently sit top of the Belgian Pro League and drew 1-1 with Toulouse in their first Europa League match of the season.

"Like every opponent, Union Saint-Gilloise will come to Anfield looking to make things as difficult for us as possible and rightly so," Van Dijk told Liverpool's official matchday programme. "They have their own job to do and their own objectives to achieve.

"We know that they have a squad with plenty of quality so we have prepared for this fixture in the knowledge that we will be given a real test.

"The Belgian Pro League tells us everything we need to know anyway. Union SG are top of that division ahead of clubs like Gent, Anderlecht and Club Brugge, so this speaks for itself.

"I am sure the manager will have some big decisions to make in terms of who starts because we are in a busy period and we have had some tough challenges already. But the same principle applies as always: whoever is selected has to do the job asked of them.

"I have spoken a few times this season about how important this is and how impressed I have been with our squad as a whole, so the key now is for all of us to carry on with the same approach."

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Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber speaking to TNT Sports: "It's another test. Every year we try to improve the level we're playing at. This is our first game away in Europe and we're looking to progress."

Image source, Getty Images

So, West Ham are on a lengthy unbeaten European run, but Freiburg have a pretty impressive record in continental competition themselves.

They are unbeaten in all seven of their Europa League group stage games since the start of last season (W5 D2), with their last such loss a 0-2 defeat at home to Sevilla in December 2013.

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham come into tonight's game having lost to only Liverpool and Man City this season. Since their last game in the Europa League they have recorded wins and clean sheets against Lincoln City (in the League Cup) and Sheffield United.

They actually fell behind in that Europa opener, with Backa Topola threatening to nick a shock 1-0 win at London Stadium.

But Mohammed Kudus helped the Hammers come back to seal a 3-1 win.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton midfielder Solly March speaking to TNT Sports: "It was exciting. It took a year of hard work to get there. It was a big achievement for the club. There's five more to come so we'll see what happens. It was hard to make it a low key game and treat it as normal, but we tried our best to do that.

"I think I've been here 12 years now. The facilities were awful. Credit to the chairman to get the club to where it is now. We've got to pay everyone back.

"It's almost like back to how the Championship was. There's not really much time to train as a group together."