Jurgen Samuel’s Sturm Graz clinched a second consecutive Austrian Bundesliga title final season, ending a decade of RB Salzburg dominance, whereas enjoying within the Champions League.
They struggled in Europe’s elite competitors, solely beating RB Leipzig and Bojan Miovski’s Girona 1-0 whereas dropping their different six video games and ending thirtieth out of 36 groups.
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Like Rangers, they have been humbled within the play-off spherical this season as they sought to return to the massive time, dropping 6-2 on mixture to Bodo/Glimt after a 5-0 drubbing in Norway.
Their squad appears weaker than final season too, with high scorer and former Motherwell loanee Mika Biereth departing for Monaco in January after netting 14 targets in half a season, whereas striker William Boving was additionally bought to Mainz earlier than the summer time deadline.
Scotland right-back Max Johnston, who performed 65 instances and received three trophies in his two seasons in Austria, joined Derby County.
Their key menace is Georgia worldwide Otar Kiteishvili, who performs on the tip of Sturm’s midfield diamond.
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The playmaker grabbed 13 targets final season and has 5 to this point this marketing campaign, regardless of lacking a while by means of harm and, extra lately, private causes.
Kiteishvili was a doubt for this tie as a result of he was again in Georgia however is ready to be obtainable once more in a vital sport for Graz after they misplaced their opener 2-0 away to Hibernian’s qualifying conquerors, Midtjylland.
Graz are presently two factors behind Speedy Vienna, a aspect Dundee United took to penalties within the Convention League and one in every of two groups they’ve misplaced to domestically this season, as they search a 3rd title in a row.
[BBC]