MX23RW : Friday, October 21 16:50:03| >> :120:30048:30048:
[monks data]
Oct 9, 2022 at 2pm UK at Stade Municipal du Ray
Nice
3 - 2
Troyes
Viti (2'), Delort (37' pen.), Pepe (50')
Bryan (56')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Chavalerin (82'), Conte (90')
Balde (90+2')

Preview: Nice vs. Troyes - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Ligue 1 clash between Nice and Troyes, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

A struggling Nice side will welcome Troyes to the Allianz Riviera on Sunday afternoon looking to resurrect their stumbling start to the Ligue 1 season.

Nice sit below Sunday's opponents in the table, having taken an underwhelming eight points from their opening nine matches.


Match preview

Nice head coach Lucien Favre pictured on September 15, 2022© Reuters

Finishing the season in fifth last time around, Nice secured qualification for the Europa Conference League, however, the team from the South of France have not been able to replicate their performances so far.

Entering the weekend in 13th, Nice's less-than-resounding start to the campaign has seen them notch up just two victories from their first nine outings.

One of those triumphs came against the 2020-21 champions Lille, yet the only other side that Nice have beaten this season was bottom-placed AC Ajaccio three matches ago.

Back-to-back defeats either side of the international break, including last weekend's loss to leaders Paris Saint-Germain, has seen Nice slip back down the table, with Les Aiglons now just one point above the Ligue 1 relegation zone.

By contrast, Troyes have enjoyed a relatively strong start to the season, notching up a modest 11 points from their first nine Ligue 1 matches.

Just outside the top 10 as things stand, Troyes are enjoying somewhat of a mini unbeaten streak, with last weekend's 2-2 draw against Reims backing up their 3-1 win over Clermont Foot from two weeks earlier.

While the European positions are likely out of reach for ESTAC, their main objective will be to stay out of a relegation battle, having just about avoided the drop last season.

A mere six points separated Troyes from a return to Ligue 2 last term and recent meetings suggests that they may be within a shout of points against Nice this weekend.

Winners in two of the last four meetings against Nice, Troyes will be confident of taking advantage of their opponents' shaky form.

Granted, those two victories are the only two that Troyes have enjoyed over Nice since 2006 – a lengthy run of 10 competitive meetings.

Nice Ligue 1 form:


Nice form (all competitions):


Troyes Ligue 1 form:


Team News

Nice's Nicolas Pepe in action with Partizan's Svetozar Markovic and Slobodan Urosevic on September 15, 2022© Reuters

A muscle injury for Rony Lopes is likely to keep the forward out of action this weekend, but he should be back for Troyes before the end of the month.

It has been a long and winding route back from injury for Karim Azamoum, whose anterior cruciate ligament problem has kept him out for over a year, but the centre-back is likely to return in the near future.

Former Fulham defender Joe Bryan has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Nice, but the 29-year-old is unavailable this weekend due to a groin injury.

Similarly, Hichem Boudaoui is missing with a back problem, with the pair unlikely to be out beyond the end of October.

Jean-Clair Todibo picked up a red card in Nice's last home outing, meaning the defender will not be in action for the hosts.

Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Lotomba, Atal, Dante, Bard; Pepe, Lemina, Thuram, Diop; Delort, Laborde

Troyes possible starting lineup:
Gallon; Salmier, Palmer-Brown, Porozo; Balde, Kouame, Agoume, Tradieu, Larouci; Ripart, Balde


SM words green background

We say: Nice 1-1 Troyes

Nice need to turn their form around if they wish to climb back into the European positions before the end of the season, with Sunday's clash no doubt the perfect opportunity in their minds to amend the wrongs of previous weeks.

Troyes will be no pushovers for Nice, with this weekend's meeting likely to end in a score draw.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a home win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home Win:data

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How you voted: Nice vs Troyes

Nice
72.4%
Draw
13.8%
Troyes
13.8%
29
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG119202952429
2Lorient118212114726
3Lens117311881024
4Marseille117222081223
5Rennes1163223111221
6MonacoMonaco116322014621
7Lille116142118319
8Clermont115241516-117
9Toulouse114341718-115
10Lyon114251915414
11Montpellier HSCMontpellier114072122-112
12Troyes113351922-312
13Nice113351014-412
14NantesNantes112451319-610
15Reims111641219-79
16Auxerre112361123-129
17StrasbourgStrasbourg111551017-78
18Ajaccio11227816-88
19Angers112271327-148
20Brest111371125-146

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