Toulouse host Troyes on Sunday 25 October 2026 in Ligue 1 Matchday 8, a fixture pushed back from the previous day over security concerns. The home side sit around 11th or 12th with nine points from seven games while Troyes languish in 17th with just four and Askou's side arrive carrying a four match unbeaten run.
Askou took charge at Toulouse on 1 July 2026, replacing Carles Martínez Novell, while Stéphane Dumont has been in charge at Troyes since August 2024, with the pair yet to meet in competitive football.
Toulouse have collected 11 points from their last five league games, winning three and drawing two in a run that included a convincing 3-0 away win at Le Mans on 16 October. Troyes have lost all five of their most recent matches, conceding 10 goals in a run that started with a 2-6 thrashing by Strasbourg in September and ended with a 1-3 defeat at Lens last weekend.
Toulouse have a few injury concerns to manage: Abu Francis and Sion Oppong are doubts, Ilyas Azizi is uncertain and Mathys Niflore is ruled out entirely. Troyes are in considerably worse shape, with Anis Ouzenadji, Yvann Titi and Yacouba Koné all ruled out (Koné with an ACL tear) and Ismaël Boura, Paolo Gozzi and Merwan Ifnaoui all doubts, with the damage concentrated in defence and wide areas.
Toulouse typically line up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2, with Askou building on a style that favours pressing and high ball retention. Cristian Casseres Jr. anchors the midfield and gives the more creative players licence to advance, while Aron Dønnum's movement from central and wide positions creates openings for forwards Casper Tengstedt and Jacen Russell-Rowe.
Troyes have been using a 4-2-3-1 that has repeatedly buckled under pressure, conceding 16 goals in seven league matches. Their backline lacks cohesion when pressed and with three starters missing and three more in doubt, it is hard to see how Dumont patches that together. Adrien Monfray and Junior Diaz have been overloaded repeatedly as Troyes attempt to transition and Nkada's best route to anything is through counter attacks that a low possession share makes difficult to execute consistently.
Casseres Jr. should have the better of a Troyes double pivot that has been overrun for weeks and Dønnum's ability to drift into pockets will test full backs who have been caught repeatedly by wide overloads. Tengstedt and Russell-Rowe should find space in behind a back four missing Boura and Gozzi and if Troyes sit deep they will invite crosses into a Toulouse forward line that has been generating chances from wide areas.
Toulouse have won nine of their 14 Ligue 1 meetings with Troyes, losing just one and have not lost any of the last 12. Their most recent meeting was a 4-1 home win in February 2023 and they have won all three home fixtures against this opponent since then.
Toulouse have been effective from set pieces this season and Troyes have been vulnerable to both direct free kicks and deliveries into the six yard box. With multiple defensive absences making it difficult to hold their shape at corners and free kicks, Troyes arrive under heavy relegation pressure and with very little evidence so far that they can defend as a unit.
Toulouse 2-1 Troyes. Toulouse's midfield control should create enough chances against a defence this short staffed, with early pressure from Casseres Jr. and Dønnum likely to open space for Tengstedt or Russell-Rowe. Nkada could pull one back late if Toulouse drop their line, though nine named absences and doubts make anything more than that unlikely for Troyes.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
