Sturm Graz vs FC Midtjylland Match Analysis and Predicton

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Sturm Graz will face FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday, with both teams having been knocked out at the group stage of last season’s competition and will be hoping to improve on that this time around.

Having picked up two points from six matches, it was not an ideal return to European group stage for Sturm Graz for the first time in a decade, but they were handed an incredible tough draw, being placed alongside Monaco, Real Sociedad and PSV Eindhoven.

This season, they have been drawn against Lazio Feyenoord and Midtjylland, so they may feel that they have an improved chance of finishing third at the very least, which would see them drop into the Europa Conference League.

That said, Thursday’s home game against Midtjylland becomes one of the utmost importance, as it is one which they must be taking three points from if they are to have a shot at progressing from Group F.

Having finished second in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, Christian Ilzer will feel confident of improving on last season’s European showing.

Meanwhile, Midtjylland have struggled to get going in the early weeks of the current campaign, picking up just nine points from eight games to sit eight in the Danish Superliga.

After finishing in the top three in 10 of the previous 11 campaigns, with Brentford owner Matthew Benham greatly improving their fortunes since becoming the club’s majority shareholder in July 2014, it has been an alarming two months for the Wolves, with former Barcelona B manager Albert Capellas replacing Bo Henriksen in the dugout.

A victory in Austria on Thursday could significantly motivate a squad which is clearly lacking morale at the moment, and provide belief that they could upset the situation by finishing ahead of either Lazio or Feyenoord to progress to the knockout rounds.

Strum Graz vs FC Midtjylland head to head

These two teams have previously met on just one occasion in a friendly game, where Midtjylland claimed a 2-0 away win in 2015. They now meet for the first time in a competitive match in the Europa League group stages.

Sturm Graz 0-2 Midtjylland 01/07/15

Sturm Graz latest home form

Sturm Graz have recently been on a relatively good run of form at home, having lost just two of their 12 most recent matches. They drew 0-0 with Hartberg in their last home game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored eight goals and conceded four.

Sturm Graz 1-2(E) Dinamo Kiev 09/08/22

Sturm Graz 4-0 Rheindorf Altach 13/08/22

Sturm Graz 0-1 LASK 20/08/22

Sturm Graz 3-1 Austria Salzburg 31/08/22

Sturm Graz 0-0 Hartberg 03/09/22

Sturm Graz latest away form

Sturm Graz have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their six most recent matches. They defeated Rapid Vienna 2-1 in their last five matches in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 10 goals and conceded four.

Rothis 0-6 Sturm Graz 16/07/22

Wolfberger AC 1-1 Sturm Graz 23/07/22

Dinamo Kiev 1-0 Sturm Graz 03/08/22

Ried 1-1 Sturm Graz 06/08/22

Rapid Vienna 1-2 Sturm Graz 28/08/22

FC Midtjylland latest home form

FC Midtjylland have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, having been winless in their six most recent matches. They lost 2-0 to AaB in their last home game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored just three goals and conceded 11.

Midtjylland 1-1 AEK Larnaca 19/07/22

Midtjylland 1-3 Silkeborg 22/07/22

Midtjylland 1-3 Benfica 09/08/22

Midtjylland 0-2 AGF 20/08/22

Midtjylland 0-2 AaB 04/09/22

FC Midtjylland latest away form

FC Midtjylland have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their six most recent matches. They defeated Brondby 2-0 in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 14 goals and conceded 11.

OB 1-5 Midtjylland 29/07/22

Benfica 4-1 Midtjylland 02/08/22

Lyngby 3-3 Midtjylland 05/08/22

Horsens 3-3 Midtjylland 12/08/22

Brondby 0-2 Midtjylland 29/08/22

Sturm Graz news

Sturm Graz first choice goalkeeper Jorg Siebenhandl has suffered a minor muscle strain and is facing a race against time to prove his fitness for the visit of Midtjylland on Thursday.

On the injury table, Jakob Jantscher, Niklas Geyrhofer and Otar Kiteishvili are all definitely ruled out for this contest.

FC Midtjylland news

Midtjylland will have to make do without the services of Junior Brumado due to a strained knee, while Pablo Ortiz is a doubt due to a foot injury.

Otherwise, the rest of the squad will be available for this contest, with former Brentford defender Henrik Dalsgaard likely to come into the team at right-back.

Prediction and Odds

Neither team will head into the contest in the best of form, but FC Midtjylland do possess more individual quality and this could be the game which kick-starts Capellas’s reign.

Sturm Graz collected just two points from six matches in last season’s Europa League, so they may be less of confidence.

Odds: 1 2.28 X 2.05 2 2.20