Bis repeat? Two years after its takeover by the City Football Group (Emirati group that owns Manchester City), Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne (ESTAC) has managed to move up to Ligue 1, and to stay there. The 2021 Ligue 2 champion, 15th in L1 in June, did not make the lift, for the first time since 2006. At the start of a season which will see four clubs take a direct ticket to Ligue 2, the Trojans hope to manage to repeat the coup of maintenance. For the first day, they will travel to Montpellier, Sunday August 7 at 3 p.m.
The objective: to avoid a false start
Last season, the Aube club arrived in Ligue 1 with good intentions in the game but had come up against the reality on the ground. Finally, after a catastrophic start to the season (only one victory before the 10th day), the dismissal of their coach Laurent Batlles in mid-season, replaced by Bruno Irles, the maintenance was acquired after a fine final (four defeats during the last 13 days).
This summer, the Trojan preparation has been more than mediocre. A big defeat against Metz (4-0), a week after a beating against Toulouse (6-1), then a setback against Auxerre (1-0) for a single victory against Le Havre (3-0), it is very little.
The player to watch: Yasser Larouci, the supersub
Arrived from the Liverpool reserve in 2021, in the midst of the contingent of new names who came to strengthen the Trojan workforce after the rise, Yasser Larouci was unfortunately injured very early in the season, before returning to the infirmary in the month of october. Unavailable for almost four months (17 games), the Franco-Algerian left side only played twelve games last season, only two of which as a starter.
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But at 21, the one who was trained on the wing before being converted into a left piston is coming back strong. Hard-hitting, Yasser Larouci started the four summer preparation matches with the Blue and Whites, impressing the supporters with his speed and his attacking contribution.
The recruit: Wilson Odobert, the Parisian titi
He is 17 years old, plays left winger, and scored 19 goals in 28 games with the Paris Saint-Germain U19s. Trained at the capital club, Wilson Odobert wanted to be able to train alongside Messi, Neymar and Mbappé. PSG did not give him a chance, so the native of Meaux did not extend, preferring to pack his bags for Dawn. But Troyes guaranteed him to be able to train with the pros. Before exploding alongside them?
ᴡɪʟsᴏɴ ᴏᴅᴏʙᴇʀᴛ ᴇsᴛ ʙʟᴇᴜ ᴇᴛ ʙʟᴀɴᴄ
Trained at Paris Saint-Germain, the 17-year-old striker signs his first professional contract at ESTAC! ✍️
Welcome home Wilson https://t.co/CB4im5wbiv pic.twitter.com/CSnUiosLww
— ESTAC Troyes (@estac_officiel) July 15, 2022
The typical XI
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