Sturm Graz vs Sporting CP prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-10-21 19:00.
[p]After recording another impressive 5-2 domestic victory at the weekend, Sturm Graz will swiftly turn their attentions back to the UEFA Champions League (UCL), a competition in which they’ve lost both of their outings so far. With those losses coming to sides that they will have fancied grabbing positive results against – Brest and Club Brugge – they now face their toughest test to date as Sporting CP arrive in town.   [/p]
[p]Last term, these two sides also faced off in European competition, with Sporting winning both clashes in the Europa League group stage, so Sturm will be desperate to enact some revenge here. The Austrian Bundesliga leaders also have the added incentive of looking to avoid making some unwanted history, as they’ve now lost each of their last four UCL outings and have never lost five in succession in this competition previously! [/p]
[p]What may boost home spirits a little is the fact that visiting Sporting have won just one of their seven away games in major European competition in Austria (D2, L4), but that sole victory did come in last season’s corresponding H2H. A 2-1 cup victory on Friday additionally extended the Portuguese side’s unbeaten run to 11 matches across all competitions (W10, D1), so they should make the trip in high spirits. [/p]
[p]The only blemish across those 11 outings came in the UCL, drawing 1-1 away to PSV on matchday two, a game during which they needed a late strike to claim a valuable point. That now gives Sporting the opportunity to go three away UCL outings unbeaten for the first time in club history, and with Rúben Amorim’s men losing just one of their last 13 matches on the road (W9, D3), it’s hard to see past them completing that feat here. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Sturm Graz forward Mika Biereth has struck nine goals across his 14 appearances this term, with his side winning all seven of the matches he’s scored in so far. Sporting’s Pedro Gonçalves has now recorded ten direct goal contributions across seven outings this season (G5, A5), and provided an assist in his last UCL outing against Lille. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Ahead of the round, Sturm Graz have been shown more cards than any other side in the UCL this season (ten). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Nathan Evans[/i][/p]