In the second round of fixtures of the revamped Champions League, Austrian champions Sturm Graz are set to host Belgian champions Club Brugge at Merkur Arena on Wednesday.
The home team began their European campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Brest on September 19 and are 26th in the Champions League table, while the away side lost 3-0 against Borussia Dortmund on September 18 and are sixth last in 31st place.
Match preview
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The new Champions League's league phase got underway two weeks ago, but Sturm Graz began their campaign in disappointing fashion against Brest, conceding five big chances while only creating one of their own.
Brest scored their first goal of the game in the 23rd minute when Hugo Magnetti struck into the bottom-right corner from the edge of the box after Sturm Graz had cleared a throw in.
Boss Christian Ilzer's team got back on level terms after benefitting from an own goal in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, but he will be disappointed that his side conceded the winner in the 56th minute when they failed to properly deal with a long pass into the box from near the halfway line.
The hosts are currently first in the Austrian Bundesliga with 16 points from eight games, but while they won 2-1 last time out on September 28, that was their first win in their last three league matches.
In fact, the win was their first in their last four games in all competitions, though prior to these games they did win their previous five fixtures.
Sturm Graz have won three of their four most recent home matches, although they have lost all of their last four Champions League games at Merkur Arena.
![Head coach Nicky Hayen reacts during a soccer match between Standard de Liege and Club Brugge on Sunday August 4, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/nicky-hayen.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Head coach Nicky Hayen reacts during a soccer match between Standard de Liege and Club Brugge on Sunday August 4, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]")
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Meanwhile, the visitors come into the clash having lost 3-0 against Borussia Dortmund, a match in which they managed to keep their opponents out until the 76th minute.
The game itself was fairly evenly contested, with both sides creating two big chances and having 10 shots from inside the penalty area.
Club Brugge will be disappointed that they were unable to make the most of several good counter-attacking opportunities, and manager Nicky Hayen admitted that he felt sour after his side's defeat.
Hayen's team are fourth in the Belgian Pro League with 14 points from nine games and are already eight points behind leaders Genk.
The away team have lost two of their last three fixtures, conceding eight times and scoring on three occasions.
Club Brugge's away form is mixed in recent weeks, as while they have won two of their last three games on the road, they lost the prior two matches away from home and have lost three, drawn two and won just once in their six most recent away games in the Champions League.
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Team News
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Sturm Graz will be without defender Dimitri Lavalee, who was sent off in his side's defeat against Brest.
Fellow defender Alexandar Borkovic has recently returned to training after being out due to a cruciate ligament injury, but he is unlikely to start, while Gregory Wuthrich could be out for the foreseeable future as a result of ligament damage.
Arjan Malic may come into the XI in place of Lavalee, and he could be partnered in defence by Max Johnston, Emanuel Aiwu and Jusuf Gazibegovic.
Midfielder Jon Gorenc Stankovic was forced off last time out on September 28, and he may be replaced in the starting lineup by Tochi Chukwuani.
Club Brugge will be unable to select left-back Bjorn Meijer, so expect Maxim De Cuyper to start his second Champions League match this season.
The visitors may not wish to make too many changes from the team that lost to Dortmund considering their good performance, so goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is likely to be shielded by centre-backs Joel Ordonez and Brandon Mechele.
Raphael Onyedika is the most probable candidate to start at the base of midfield behind midfielders Hugo Vetlesen and Hans Vanaken.
Sturm Graz possible starting lineup:
Scherpen; Johnston, Aiwu, Malic, Gazibegovic; Horvat, Chukwuani, Kiteishvili; Boving; Camara, Biereth
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Seys, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vetlesen, Onyedika, Vanaken; Olsen, Nilsson, Tzolis
We say: Sturm Graz 1-2 Club Brugge
If Club Brugge can replicate their performance against Dortmund on Wednesday, then there is every chance they could make good on their opportunities in front of goal this time around.
It would not be surprising if the visitors scored first and found success during counter-attacks and take all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
