Wednesday night will see a battle between the Austrian and French champions as Sturm Graz and Paris Saint-Germain clash at 28 Black Arena for a pre-season friendly.
Die Schwoazn have already played two competitive matches at the start of the 2024-25 schedule, whilst Les Parisiens are still some time away from their real action beginning.
Match preview
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Following a seven-game pre-season schedule which included tests against Monaco and Portuguese giants Porto, Sturm Graz have endured a mixed start to competitive action this summer, beating lower league side Kremser SC in the first round of the Austrian Cup before losing an Austrian Bundesliga opener to Rapid Vienna on Sunday afternoon.
A first-half strike from Rapid striker Dion Drena Beljo condemned Die Schwoazn to a maiden defeat in 2024-25, with the four-time Austrian champions losing on just three occasions across the entirety of last campaign as they pipped Red Bull Salzburg to the crown by two points.
After numerous failed attempts to reach the Champions League group stage via the qualifying rounds in recent years, Sturm Graz's first Bundesliga title since 2011 has sealed them a spot in the revamped league phase of UEFA's elite club competition, guaranteeing at least eight matches on the biggest of continental stages.
Taking charge of Die Schwoazn at the return of football in July 2020 following the start of the global pandemic, Christian Ilzer has grown as a manager alongside his squad, with the 46-year-old winning 97 of his 177 matches at the helm of the Austrian champions, only suffering defeat 42 times.
Preparing to compete on both domestic and European fronts this season, Sturm Graz moved decisively in the summer transfer window to secure the services of Arsenal striker Mika Biereth, who scored nine times in 21 appearances for Die Schwoazn during a loan spell in 2023-24.
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After winning a third straight Ligue 1 title last season - the 12th such honour in the club's history - PSG are preparing for the beginning of a new era in the French capital following the departure of superstar and all-time leading goalscorer Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.
Although Les Parisiens have undoubtedly lost a world-leading talent at the top end of the pitch, they still boast one of the brightest coaches in football who will be raring to earn more success this campaign, with Luis Enrique losing only seven of his 53 matches in charge throughout the 2023-24 term as the French champions managed a domestic treble.
Excluding Xavi Simons's second loan move from Parc des Princes to Bundesliga challengers RB Leipzig, there have been no major outgoings for PSG apart from the departure of Mbappe, meaning that most of the attention has been on players who could arrive and become the next superstars for the Ligue 1 powerhouses.
Last taking to the field for the Coupe de France final against Lyon on May 25, Les Parisiens will be put through their friendly paces for the first time this summer on Wednesday night in Austria, where the visitors will hope to improve their fitness ahead of a league opener at Le Havre on August 16.
PSG will be keen to avoid a repeat of their most recent meeting with Sturm Graz during the pre-season of 2013, when goals from Robert Beric, Marco Djuricin and Nikola Vujadinovic secured a surprise 3-1 success for Die Schwoazn.
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Team News
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Sturm Graz are short of options at right-back ahead of Wednesday's clash, with Max Johnston recovering from an illness that has seen him play no part so far this season.
As a result, the versatile Jusuf Gazibegovic should continue on the right of Die Schwoazn's backline, whilst Gregory Wuthrich and ex-Birmingham City loanee Emanuel Aiwu form the centre-back partnership.
PSG are without the services of first-choice left-back Lucas Hernandez until the New Year after the Frenchman suffered a cruciate ligament injury during the Champions League semi-final first-leg defeat to Borussia Dortmund on May 1.
Morocco international Achraf Hakimi will remain in France as he attempts to guide his nation to gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with the right-back likely to miss the start of competitive action for his club later this month.
Following semi-final disappointment with France at Euro 2024, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani will be striving to stake a claim for a spot in Enrique's Mbappe-less forward line.
Sturm Graz possible starting lineup:
Scherpen; Gazibegovic, Aiwu, Wuthrich, Lavalee; Gorenc-Stankovic, Horvat; Camara, Zvonarek, Boving; Biereth
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Zague, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Mendes; Ugarte, Vitinha, Lee; Dembele, Barcola, Kolo Muani
We say: Sturm Graz 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain
Already two matches into their competitive schedule, Sturm Graz's sharpness could give them a much-needed advantage as they take on the French champions on Wednesday night.
PSG are likely to make a raft of substitutions during the contest which could result in a disjointed performance, but we still believe that Les Parisiens will have enough quality to commence their pre-season plans with victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
