Reigning champions Sturm Graz will be bidding to bounce back from an opening-weekend defeat when they continue their Austrian Bundesliga campaign at home to Hartberg on Sunday afternoon.
The Graz outfit were beaten 1-0 by Rapid Vienna in their campaign opener last time out, while Hartberg suffered a 2-1 loss to LASK Linz in their first league game of the new season.
Match preview
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Sturm Graz are four-time Austrian Bundesliga champions, including last season, which proved to be their first title success since the 2010-11 campaign.
The team have therefore qualified for the group stage of this season's Champions League, and it will be their first appearance at that stage of the competition since the 2000-01 tournament, when they operated alongside Valencia, Manchester United and Panathinaikos in Group A.
Christian Ilzer's side progressed in the Austrian Cup at the end of last month courtesy of a 4-2 success over Krems/Rehberg, but they were beaten 1-0 by Rapid Vienna in their league opener on August 4.
Sturm Graz were actually involved in a friendly with French champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, with the two teams playing out a 2-2 draw, but the reigning Austrian champions will now switch their focus back to the league.
The last meeting between Sturm Graz and Hartberg finished 1-1 at the start of May, and the hosts are unbeaten in their last seven domestic games against Sunday's opponents.
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Hartberg, meanwhile, opened their 2024-25 campaign in excellent fashion, recording an 11-1 victory over Bischofshofen to progress in the Austrian Cup.
However, they were unable to start their Austrian Bundesliga season with a win, suffering a 2-1 defeat to LASK Linz on August 3, with the result leaving them in eighth position in the table.
Markus Schopp's side finished fifth in the Austrian Bundesliga last term, which has seen them qualify for the playoff round of the 2024-25 Conference League.
Hartberg, as mentioned, have not enjoyed their recent meetings with Sturm Graz, with their last away victory over the reigning Austrian champions coming back in July 2020.
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Team News
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Sturm Graz will be without the services of two players on Sunday, with Max Johnston out through illness, while Seedy Jatta will be missing until late September with a knee problem.
Mika Biereth scored five league goals for the champions in the second half of last season, and he has now arrived at the club on a permanent basis from Arsenal.
The 21-year-old will lead the line for the home side on Sunday afternoon, while there is also expected to be a position in the final third of the field for William Boving.
As for Hartberg, the visitors have not reported any injury problems ahead of the match, while they will also not be missing any players through suspension this weekend.
Head coach Schopp will have been pleased with aspects of his side's performance against LASK Linz, so it would not be a surprise to see the same XI take to the field.
Patrik Mijic led the line last time out, and the 25-year-old, who is a new arrival at the club, should also be given the nod in the final third of the field at the Merkur-Arena.
Sturm Graz possible starting lineup:
Scherpen; Gazibegovic, Aiwu, Wuthrich, Lavalee; Stankovic, Horvat; Hierlander, Zvonarek, Boving; Biereth
Hartberg possible starting lineup:
Sallinger; Heil, Wilfinger, Komposch, Pfeifer; Kainz, Omoregie; Amadin, Prokop, Avdijaj; Mijic
We say: Sturm Graz 2-1 Hartberg
Hartberg are certainly capable of making this a tricky match for Sturm Graz, and we are expecting to be a tight affair on Sunday afternoon. However, the reigning champions should have enough quality to navigate their way to all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
