Sturm Graz vs Club Brugge KV prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-01 19:00.
[p]A promising start to the Austrian Bundesliga campaign (W5, D1, L2) finds Sturm Graz amongst the early pacesetters. A 2-1 win against FC Blau-Weiß Linz at the weekend strengthened their quest for a fifth Austrian Bundesliga crown, but they now turn their attention back to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) where they look to right the wrongs of their 2-1 matchday one defeat to Brest. [/p]
[p]That was incredibly an eighth successive UCL defeat for Sturm Graz, and if they’re to avoid an instant exit from the league phase, they’ll have to snap that run quickly. One win from four games against Belgian opposition (L3) would suggest they’ll struggle, and with just five wins from their last 25 European home games (D3, L17), playing on home turf arguably isn’t much of an advantage for the Austrian side. [/p]
[p]That’ll be music to the ears of Club Brugge who should travel with confidence on the back of a stoppage time equaliser which earned them a point against Charleroi despite them playing most of the second half with ten men. Although that result can be seen as a positive, it extended their winless run to three matches (D1, L2), with one of those defeats coming in their UCL opener against Dortmund (3-0). [/p]
[p]Their recent record away to Austrian opposition (W2, D1, L1) should at least inspire some belief that they can break their winless run, and with six wins from nine European away games last term (L3), they do have some travelling pedigree. They’ve produced a mixed bag when travelling in the UCL though, keeping a clean sheet in three of their last six such games, while the other three saw them concede at least four times![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Sturm Graz will hope William Böving can have an early say on proceedings as he’s netted the opener on six of his last eight scoring appearances. Brugge’s Hans Vanaken will perhaps be looking for a later impact given nine of his last 13 club goals came after the hour mark.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Seven of Sturm Graz’s last eight games have seen both teams score, while all eight have seen over 2.5 goals. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]