Austrian champions Sturm Graz welcome Spanish outfit Girona on Wednesday for their fifth Champions League game of the campaign. While Sturm Graz are still to earn a point, Girona finds itself 29th with three points and looks forward to recovering from its heavy loss against PSV Eindhoven earlier in the month.
Match Preview
Sturm Graz: Struggling in Europe
Sturm Graz dominates domestically, currently topping the Austrian Bundesliga with 32 points from 14 matches, but they have struggled on the European stage. Thus far this season, the team has failed to earn a point in the Champions League, scoring just once and conceding six goals across four games.
Their previous European excursion was a narrow loss against Borussia Dortmund 1-0, where the fans were hoping to make something out of Dortmund’s defensive issues but failed. Now, the interim coach is Jurgen Saumel after Christian Ilzer left to join Hoffenheim.
Sturm Graz have been in good form recently, winning four of their last six games in all competitions. However, they have been pretty woeful in the Champions League at Worthersee Stadion, losing six times on the trot.
Girona: Unpredictable yet Lethal
Girona comes into this game in seventh place in La Liga, with 21 points from 14 matches. But while they lost their last Champions League match to PSV, 4-0, the score came after playing most of the second half with 10 men after Arnau Martinez’s red card.
Despite this, the result drops Girona to two points off of a Champions League playoff position presently occupied by 24th-place PSV. In La Liga, Girona has scored 20 goals while conceding 18-both a testament to their abilities to find the back of the net and to their defensive frailties.
Girona meanwhile is in good form at home with four wins in their last five games, netting 13 times in the process. However, away from home, their form is a different matter altogether; five defeats and two draws from 10 matches this season.
Form Guide
Sturm Graz (Champions League): LLLL
Sturm Graz (All Competitions): WWDLWW
Girona (Champions League): LLWL
Girona (All Competitions): LWWLWW
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Sturm Graz
The only certain absentee for Sturm Graz is midfielder Jon Gorenc-Stankovic, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Amady Camara is doubtful due to illness, perhaps leaving Mika Biereth and Seedy Jatta to lead the attack.
Tochi Chukwuani and Otar Kiteishvili will probably continue in central midfield, flanked by Malick Yalcouye and William Boving on the wings.
Predicted Lineup:
Formation: 4-4-2
Starting XI: Scherpen; Johnston, Aiwu, Lavalee, Gazibegovic; Yalcouye, Chukwuani, Kiteishvili, Boving; Biereth, Jatta
Girona
Girona will also be without Arnau Martinez, who is suspended, while midfielder Yangel Herrera was ruled out with a foot injury. Michel will also be short on attackers as Abel Ruiz, Gabriel Misehouy, and Cristian Portu are all injured.
A back four of Juanpe, David Lopez, Ladislav Krejci, and Daley Blind probably forms up, while Silvi Clua and Oriol Romeu anchor the midfield. Bryan Gil, Donny van de Beek, Miguel Gutierrez, and Bojan Miovski start in the attacking line.
Predicted Lineup:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI: Gazzaniga; Juanpe, Lopez, Krejci, Blind; Romeu, Clua; Gil, Van de Beek, Gutierrez; Miovski
Match Prediction
Sturm Graz 1-2 Girona
Without former coach Christian Ilzer, Sturm Graz might struggle to adjust under interim management, while Girona’s recent attacking form suggests they will create ample opportunities and capitalize on Sturm Graz’s defensive frailties.
