LOSC hosts SK Sturm Graz this Wednesday (6:45 p.m.) on the occasion of the sixth day of the Champions League league phase. On this occasion, Le Petit Lillois found Max (alias
@AustriaFootFR), specialist in Austrian football, in order to introduce the upcoming duel.
LOSC and SK Sturm Graz faced each other last season, what do you remember of this duel?
I felt a lot of disappointment, especially after the first leg in Austria. The logic had been respected, because Lille was much better, but there was such a good dynamic on the Sturm Graz side. This could have suggested a closer confrontation, but no, and that leaves me with a feeling of frustration.
How has SK Sturm Graz evolved since then? Is it the same team?
After their elimination last year, they continued their good form in the country and knocked RB Salzburg out of the Austrian Cup, then won the Austrian Championship. They outperformed Salzburg in every area last season, which hasn’t happened for many years.
They have since settled on the roof of Austrian football, but suffered numerous losses in their squad this summer. In addition, the coach who brought them to the top and the sporting director of Sturm Graz were recruited by Hoffenheim. There have therefore been quite a few notable changes since the last opposition with LOSC, even if a large part of the players are still present.
What is the current dynamic at SK Sturm Graz?
Sturm Graz is on a good run recently, already in the league but with a first victory in this edition of the Champions League. They continue to dominate the Austrian championship, which is nevertheless less competitive than last season. There are still some uncertainties with the arrival of Jürgen Säumel, who remains temporary for the moment. The setup remained the same, keeping the foundations of Ilzer’s very good previous work.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of SK Sturm Graz? His key player?
One of the big strengths that comes to mind is the defensive capacity of this team which, over the weeks, concedes very few goals. What I was able to notice in the various Champions League matches is also, in the opposite direction, that it has a lot of difficulty imposing the game usually developed in the Bundesliga. It must be said that the difference in championship/European Cup level is significant. For the key player, I cite the scorer against Girona: Mika Biereth. He is the current top scorer in the Austrian championship with eleven goals.
How do you analyze the SK Sturm Graz campaign and do you believe that this latest success against Girona (1-0) can be a trigger?
I think that the Champions League was a big step taken by the club in one go. The competition is complicated to manage when you are a club outside the top 7 of the European championships, and not necessarily predestined to qualify directly for the league phase. This reality is all the more striking when you have a team made up of many young players, where a complicated start to the game can be bad for morale. Despite everything, they did not do poorly in certain matches and this victory against Girona was deserved. In a period of adaptation with the new coach, it can really give confidence.
What do you think of LOSC’s journey so far?
LOSC’s journey in this Champions League, I think it’s the one that impresses me the most. At first glance, I really thought that Lille had drawn one of the most complicated schedules, but the results sincerely command respect.
Where do you see the two teams at the end of the league stage?
Despite my strong tendency towards optimism, for me, Sturm Graz will not finish in the Top 24, and this is not a scandal regarding the resources invested. On the other hand, LOSC is the team capable of anything this season in the Champions League and it should, still in my opinion, flirt with the Top 8.
Finally, what scenario do you imagine for this Wednesday’s meeting and what is your prediction?
I don’t expect a very prolific match. Sturm Graz is not a team that concedes a lot of goals in general and their start to the Champions League is proof of that. So I think we will have a fairly close match, but the slightest opportunity could hurt. Despite everything, I see LOSC winning quite easily at home against an Austrian team who will have difficulty creating chances. If I had to make a prediction, I would go for a victory with a two-goal margin for LOSC.
