These two teams finished a respective 4th and 3rd last season and went into the playoffs, with Toulouse thumping Grenoble in the semi finals, before being outclassed (at least in the first leg) by Nantes in the final. That was viewed as a very disappointing campaign by Toulouse, they got so close and had filled one of the automation promotion spots for much of the season, whereas for Grenoble it was doubtless viewed as a success, having finished midtable in their first two seasons in L2 following promotion. This time round they are struggling big time and paid a big price for their "success" losing their head coach and several very key players including their main striker and playmaker and they are 20 points and 13 goals worse off than at this stage of last season, sitting in 19th place, four points from safety. That lack of goals is killing them, they have scored just 8 times in 15 starts, the three wins in that sequence all came by 1-0 and they have lost their last nine starts when conceding a goal !  That sets out their game plan, try to frustrate and steal a goal, with little, by which I mean nothing, by way of a Plan B. 

 

The issue today is that Toulouse are not only the best team and top scorers in L2 , but they have averaged over 2 goals per game since relegation in 2020 and that is across 63 games (127 goals).The visitors can open up a three point lead over Paris FC with the win and that would also, and more importantly, give them a six point edge over the team in 3rd and they will not want to leave anything to chance this time round, wanting the deal done and dusted asap. They have also scored 12 goals in four h2h meetings with Grenoble in the last 18 months and the hosts have gone backwards subsequently and Toulouse have improved. In the last two of those h2h meetings, Toulouse were a combined 12-1 for BC's (!) and 21-7 ITB, they were at home in both, but such dominance breeds confidence and they can record the fifth straight home defeat for Grenoble against top 6 opposition ( Paris FC 0-4, Sochaux 1-3, Auxerre 0-1 and Le Havre 1-2).

 

2.25 units Toulouse -1 ball 2.27 asian line.

 

 

Good luck !