Sturm Graz vs. Rennes - prediction, team news, lineups

Back successful Europe aft a three-year absence, Rennes question to Graz to look Sturm Graz astatine Stadium Graz Liebenau, aiming to commencement their European run connected a affirmative note. 

The French broadside are competing for the archetypal clip since the format alteration successful 2024, and volition anticipation to get up to velocity against their Austrian opponents. 

Match preview

For Sturm Graz, determination whitethorn beryllium a consciousness of what mightiness person been aft they could not get into the league signifier of the Champions League. 

Having returned to the tourney due successful Europe's premier nine contention successful 2024-25 aft 24 years away, the Blacks hoped for the aforesaid successful 2026-27 but Fenerbahce enactment paid to their aspiration to beryllium progressive for the 2nd clip successful 3 years. 

Needing to marque bash with Europa League football, Fabio Ingolitsch astatine slightest hopes that his broadside amended connected past season's performance, which saw the Austrian outfit exit successful the league signifier aft finishing 26th. 

Two of their successes successful 8 matches did travel successful Graz, wherever Die Schwoazn bushed Rangers 2-1 and got the amended of Brann 1-0, some results bookending a goalless gully with Nottingham Forest and a 1-0 nonaccomplishment to Red Star Belgrade. 

Given their pitiful 10-match tally without an distant triumph successful the main stages of immoderate European competition, including an ongoing nine-match losing streak, the request to assertion affirmative results successful beforehand of their supporters is imperative.

Indeed, they volition beryllium hoping for immoderate Rennes European rustiness aft the Ligue 1 outfit's lack from continental football. 

Franck Haise's men finished sixth, primitively ensuring Conference League participation, but they were beneficiaries of Lens' Coupe de France success, frankincense upgrading them to the main signifier of the Europa League. 

Now, Les Rennais purpose to commencement with an encouraging effect successful Graz, wherever their hosts person mislaid conscionable 1 competitory fixture successful 2026. 

That defeat, however, was inflicted by Fenerbahce successful the Blacks' astir caller continental lucifer arsenic hosts, and the travelling fans volition anticipation for immoderate distant cheer successful Wednesday's instrumentality to Europe. 

They person crushed for optimism, considering that their broadside participate the midweek clash without decision this season, having won 3 and drawn 2-2 against Paris Saint-Germain successful 4 matchdays successful the French apical flight. 

Notable, nonetheless, has been a dearth of cleanable sheets — conscionable 1 truthful acold — and it volition beryllium absorbing to spot if their inclination to outscore the absorption stands them successful bully stead this week successful Austria.

Sturm Graz signifier (all competitions):

Rennes signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Seedy Jatta was withdrawn aft 50 minutes against LASK astatine the weekend, making the forward's information connected Wednesday uncertain.

Leon Grgic (knee) and Emran Soglo (hamstring) are injury-enforced absentees for the Graz outfit, portion Niklas Geyrhofer, Szymon Wlodarczyk and Axel Kayombo person not been included successful the league signifier squad. 

With Jatta doubtful, Otar Kiteishvili — scorer of 15 league goals past play — whitethorn person to transportation the team's attacking work against Rennes. 

The visitors' starring goalscoring menace is Esteban Lepaul, adjacent if past season's 21-goal guardant successful Ligue 1 has failed to people successful back-to-back top-flight matches earlier Wednesday. 

Nevertheless, Lepaul remains the lone Rennes subordinate to people much than 1 league goal, further underlining the distant side's reliance connected their striker. 

The French broadside are ostensibly without immoderate sidelined player, giving Haise the afloat complement of his squad for matchday one.

Sturm Graz imaginable starting lineup:

Khudyakov; Heil, Vallci, Koller, Balbo; Weinhandl, Stankovic; Beganovic, Hodl, Diakite; Kiteishvili

Rennes imaginable starting lineup:

Samba; Frankowski, Cresswell, Rouault, Merlin; Camara, Rongier, Thomasson; Blas, Lepaul, Tamari

We say: Sturm Graz 1-1 Rennes

While Rennes get arsenic flimsy favourites fixed their unbeaten commencement to the season, their inability to consistently support cleanable sheets could supply the hosts with a important lifeline. 

As such, the Austrian broadside are backed to frustrate their French opponents and assertion a hard-fought constituent connected matchday one.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.