Rakow vs Sturm Graz prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-10-04 16:45.
After a rather cut and dry 2-0 defeat against Atalanta on their UEFA Europa League (UEL) debut, reigning Polish champions Raków return to Częstochowa for the next step in their historic journey. Raków’s defence of their domestic title is chugging along at a steady rate with a resurgent 3-0 victory over Radomiak Radom on Sunday keeping them well in the mix with the league leaders.
Manager Dawid Szwarga couldn’t have too many complaints about his side’s defeat in their UEL opener, yet that was just their second defeat on the European stage this season (W5, D2, L2). Those victories came against sides hailing from Estonia, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, and now they have another country on their hit list as they welcome their first ever Austrian opponents, Sturm Graz.
The three-time Austrian Bundesliga champions have made an unbeaten start to their league season (W6, D3), but they still need to make an impression on this group after blowing a 1-0 lead to lose against Sporting in the opening round. That defeat worsened what was already a pretty torrid European record for the Austrian outfit across their last 17 European outings at any venue (W2, D4, L11).
Looking solely at UEL away games doesn’t improve Sturm’s case either, with Christian Ilzer’s side heading into this latest clash on the back of a run of just one win across their last ten trips (W1, D3, L6). The visitors have conceded at least twice in each of the last four games during that torrid run, a sequence that they'll hope to end in their first ever competitive clash against Polish opponents.
Players to watch: Fabian Piasecki has scored four goals across his 16 European club outings, including one beyond half-time in two of Raków’s last three wins on the continental stage. Trying to outscore him here will be Sturm’s William Boving who has scored the opener in each of their previous two games outside of their domestic league duties.
Hot stat: Eight of Sturm’s last nine UEL away defeats came without reply.