Reims vs Troyes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-02-11 14:00.
Having flown under the radar so far this season, Reims’ fantastic 16-game unbeaten streak across all competitions (W7, D9) came to an unfortunate end in midweek Coupe de France action with a 3-1 loss to fellow top-flight opposition Toulouse. Their resilience has been rewarded with the safety of a mid-table spot in Ligue 1, proving themselves incredibly hard to beat by recording 12 league draws, the highest tally across Europe’s five largest leagues.
The Red and Whites have been dominant at the Stade Auguste-Delaune, winning four of their last six home matches whilst remaining unbeaten in that time (D2). Manager Will Still’s troops will therefore be buzzing with confidence as they seek their first Ligue 1 win over opponents Troyes after seven failed attempts (D3, L4), with that being the most times they’ve faced a single opponent in the top-flight without a victory.
Troyes may not be sharing the optimism of their hosts, after their 3-1 loss to Lyon last round extended their poor run that has now seen them win just one of their last 14 league matches (D6, L7). Patrick Kisnorbo’s side has plummeted towards the four-team relegation zone as a result, owing to the league’s most porous defence that has now conceded 48 goals.
ESTAC may well find themselves in the drop zone after this round of fixtures if their defence takes another battering, after their last two away matches ended in humiliating 5-1 and 4-1 defeats to Lille and Toulouse respectively. This has been a long-standing issue for Troyes, who have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 17 away matches dating back to March last year.
Players to watch: Reims wonder-kid Folarin Balogun sits alone at the top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts ahead of the weekend’s action, and that includes his side’s opening goal in each of his last eight goalscoring outings. Visiting winger Mama BaldĂ© has a knack for delivering the goods on the road for Troyes – nine of his last ten goals have been recorded away from home.
Hot stat: Going into this round, Troyes had dropped more points (16) after scoring the opening goal than any other Ligue 1 club this season (W2, D5, L2).