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
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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.
Team News
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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
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.
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