Preview: Troyes vs Paris FC - prediction, team news, lineups

Playing in their first Ligue 1 match since 2023, Troyes will host Paris FC on Saturday at Stade de l’Aube in the Grand Est region of France.

ESTAC returned to the top flight after finishing first in Ligue 2 last season, while Paris were 11th in Ligue 1 over the last campaign.

Match preview

For better or worse, a club’s fortunes can change quickly, as Troyes can attest to in recent times

Since dropping down to the third tier in 2023-24, this team have come a long way to get back into the top flight, temporarily keeping their place in Ligue 2 following the administrative relegation of Bordeaux.

Their Ligue 2 home form played a huge part in their promotion last season, with this team going pointless in just two league games at Stade de l’Aube.

Saturday will be Stephane Dumont's first Ligue 1 outing as a head coach, with his side going unbeaten in their pre-season friendlies.

This weekend they can collect their first victory in this competition since beating Strasbourg in 2023 (3-2).

That said, Troyes boast a 100% record in the top flight versus Paris FC, beating them twice during the 1973-74 campaign.

In their first top flight campaign in over four decades, last season went better than expected for Paris FC.

Now it is up to Liam Rosenior to keep that momentum from last season going, with the former Strasbourg manager taking over for interim boss Antoine Kombouare in July.

That was a bit of a surprise, seeing as Kombouare suffered just two Ligue 1 defeats between March and the end the 2025-26 season while in charge.

Rosenior is coming in with something to prove after his rough spell at Chelsea last season, but he has had success in Ligue 1, guiding Strasbourg to a seventh-place finish and a place in Europe at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

In 2026, this team have earned points in all but two of their away matches in this competition but lost their last one at Rennes in May (2-1).

While they have never beaten them in a top-flight fixture, Paris have gone unbeaten in their last five Ligue 2 meetings with Troyes, winning those last two visits to Stade de l’Aube.

Troyes Pre-season form:

Paris FC Pre-season form:

Team News

At the start of this week, Troyes acquired Hugo Picard on loan from the Columbus Crew, while Patrick Beach will likely start his first match in Ligue 1 after Australia’s number one at this summer’s World Cup signed from Melbourne City in July.

After a successful loan spell at Dundee United, Amar Abdirahman Ahmed might be expected to chip in with more goals this season for the French side, especially with their Ligue 2 Golden Boot winner, Tawfik Bentayeb, linked to a move to Anderlecht in Belgium.

A knee injury may keep Jean-Philippe Krasso on the Paris FC sidelines on matchday one, with Omar Sissoko also doubtful due to an ankle strain.

Lassine Sinayoko is among the new faces expected to lead the attack for them this season, after netting 12 times in Ligue 1 for Auxerre in 2025-26, while they also added Pablo Pagis from Lorient.

Troyes possible starting lineup:

Beach; Titi, Monfray, Diaz, Ouzenadji; Gomis, Diop; Odede, Ifnaoui, Picard; Ahmed

Paris FC possible starting lineup:

Trapp; Camara, Coppola, Otavio, De Smet; Lees-Melou, Zabi; Pagis, Kebbal, Koleosho; Sinayoko

We say: Troyes 0-2 Paris FC

Paris FC did a nice job replenishing their squad with proven, experienced attacking talent, and that should serve them well against a side like Troyes, eager to prove a point, but who might need some time to adjust to top-flight football.

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