Ligue 1 2026-2027: Youthful Troyes target survival on return | OneFootball

Three years on from their last top-flight outing, Troyes return to Ligue 1 with a bold, youthful squad and an ambition to turn inexperience into energy in the fight to stay up, in a group that refuse to see themselves as victims.

According to L'Équipe, they came up as Ligue 2 champions under Stéphane Dumont, have 12 academy graduates newly professional, and still need reinforcements after Mathys Detourbet and Sankhoun Diawara departed.

Experience is scarce, with only four players over 30, captain Adrien Monfray, 35, keepers Zacharie Boucher, 34, and Hillel Konaté, 31, plus forward Renaud Ripart, 33, who is the sole remaining member of the 2022-2023 Ligue 1 squad after Thierno Baldé was released and joined Nancy.

The player to watch is Patrick Beach. The Australian goalkeeper arrived from Melbourne City in late July on a five-year deal, turning 23 on 6 August, a move that underlines links with the City Group. Renowned for his distribution, he impressed at the World Cup after dislodging former Lens keeper and captain Mathew Ryan.

Season-ticket holders stood at 6,096 on Friday, more than double last season’s figure of around 2,500.

Troyes open with Paris FC at home on Saturday 22 August at 20:45, then visit Lorient on Saturday 29 August at 20:45, before hosting Strasbourg on Sunday 6 September at 15:00.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”