Sturm Graz (Aut) vs PSV (Ned) prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-08-14 18:30.
Sturm Graz have a massive job on their hands if they are to overturn a 4-1 deficit against PSV in the third round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League (UCL). The Austrian outfit have never even successfully come from a goal down in UCL history after a first leg, and perhaps their comprehensive defeat in the Netherlands was playing on their minds on their return to domestic action at the weekend as they were held to a goalless draw by Austria Klagenfurt.
That said, Christian Ilzer’s men are very strong on their own patch, having won 17 of their last 22 competitive fixtures at the Merkur-Arena (D3, L2). To perhaps add to the positive omens, Sturm’s only win in nine previous meetings against Dutch opposition (D1, L7) came at this exact stage of the UCL in August 2000 when they beat Feyenoord 2-1, ultimately progressing 3-2 on aggregate, in what turned out to be the last season they reached the UCL group stage!
PSV on the other hand may ring the changes ahead of Tuesday night’s clash having started life under Peter Bosz in terrific form, beating Feyenoord 1-0 in the Johan Cruyff Shield before opening their Eredivisie campaign with a 2-0 win over Utrecht – results that came either side of their comfortable victory over Sturm in Austria.
Progression would set PSV up for a tie with Servette or Rangers in the play-off round, and they’ll be confident of getting there as the Rood-witten’s record against Austrian opposition in Europe is pretty formidable, having won 12 of their 17 such meetings up to this point (D3, L2), a sequence that includes two group wins over Sturm in the 2020/21 Europa League group phase (4-1 and 2-0).
Players to watch: Young forward Szymon Wlodarczyk has hit the ground running since joining Sturm last month, scoring in two of his first four competitive appearances for his new side. Meanwhile, Netherlands international Noa Lang has also impressed in his new surroundings, registering two goals and an assist in his first three PSV matches since arriving from Club Brugge.
Hot stat: PSV have scored in the second half in each of their last seven away matches in all competitions.