Sturm Graz vs Girona prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-11-26 17:45.
[p]Hitting Klagenfurt for seven at the weekend will have been a relief for the Sturm Graz faithful, who may have been worried after former boss Christian Ilzer recently left the club. Beginning his caretaker reign in fine fashion, Jürgen Säumel must now take his side to Wörthersee Stadion, to play their latest UEFA Champions League home game against Girona, in what will be the Austrian outfit’s seventh attempt to beat Spanish opponents (D1, L5). [/p]
[p]Sharply juxtaposing their domestic dominance, Sturm make up one of five sides entering this round without a point on the board (L4), a rotten return which saw the Austrians score just once. Those defeats are part of a larger 11-game losing run of UCL games, including qualifiers, whilst they’ve also lost six of their last eight home games across all European competitions (W1, D1). [/p]
[p]Sitting just three points above their hosts, Girona travel here with more work to do in order to extend their debut UCL campaign into the knockout phase (W1, L3). Expectation may be the feeling ahead of this trip as Girona resumed domestic duties following the international break with a third straight league win to keep them well in contention for La Liga’s top four at this stage. [/p]
[p]Whilst Girona continue to forge new paths in Europe, they may be buoyed by the recent record of Spanish sides in Austria, where such teams have won five of their last six games in the competition (L1). Failing to add to that win tally could set some unwanted history for Girona, who after losing their first two away games without scoring, could become the very first Spanish side to lose their first three UCL trips. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: William Bøving assisted Sturm’s only UCL goal this term and eight of his last nine scoring club appearances saw him grab the team opener. As for Girona, Bojan Miovski scored his second brace in as many scoring appearances for the club over the weekend, goals which took him to four goal involvements across his last two games for club and country (G3, A1). [/p]
[p]Hot stat: With four of Girona’s eight conceded goals coming from own goals, the Spanish side have already let in more own goals than any side in a single UCL campaign![/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i][/p]