ES Troyes AC
- ES Troyes AC in top spot with 42 points from 23 matches will face 8th placed Pau FC with 34 from the same number of games in a clash that highlights contrasting styles and that both teams have something to prove.
- ES Troyes AC have won 9 of their 12 Ligue 2 home games this season and average 2.00 goals per game at home.
- Troyes are in the midst of a rough patch having lost 4 and drawn 1 of their last 5 in all competitions.
- Stephane Dumont has done a good job at Troyes since taking over as coach in August 2024, fostering a disciplined and vertically minded tactical identity.
- Troyes play with a compact 4-4-2 formation and look to stifle the ball, then hit opponents on the counterattack.
- They are solid at the back but deadly on the break, particularly when they can exploit the flanks.
- Tawfik Bentayeb has 10 goals in Ligue 2 this season and is the talisman, having scored his 10 in 17 appearances.
Pau FC
- Pau FC typically play a more flexible 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 system, patiently passing in possession, wide and trying to protect the middle of the park.
- They have an exciting attacking group, but are not as prolific as Troyes with Giovani Versini having scored 7 in 22.
- Newly appointed interim manager Thierry Debes will have his work cut out to establish a consistent tactical identity for a side that has been playing well, but in a disjointed fashion.
- Pau have won 2 of their last 3 on the road.
Head-to-Head
- ES Troyes AC are unbeaten in their last 2 meetings with Pau FC in Ligue 2 (1 win, 1 draw).
- The most recent meeting finished 1-1 at Pau’s place three months ago.
Key Players
- Tawfik Bentayeb - 10 goals in Ligue 2 this season, scored in 17 appearances.
- Giovani Versini - 7 goals in 22 appearances for Pau.
Betting Insights
- Troyes are the bookmakers’ clear favourites at 1.8.
- Pau FC are priced at 4.2.
- The BTTS market is available around 1.67 and looks appealing.
Prediction
- This game will be close, as Pau have won 5, drawn 4 and lost just 2 of their 11 away games this Ligue 2 campaign, netting 17 on the road.
- With both managers desperate to prove their quality and both sides having something to play for, we feel the BTTS market makes more appeal than either of the team lines.
