UEFA Europa League · League Stage - 4 
Sturm Graz’s injury crisis looms over Celje Europa League clash
Sturm Graz have ten players unavailable as they look to build on their latest Europa League win. Celje arrive without a win in three competition matches, with the hosts holding the stronger home record.
📍 Stadion Graz-Liebenau
Preview written:
All League phase, matchday 4 matches
Match report
Final result: Sturm Graz 2-3 Celje.
Match statistics (home team first). Shots: 30–8; Shots on target: 7–7; Corners: 12–2; Expected goals: 2.9–1.27.
Goals
- 29' Svit Seslar · Celje
- 40' Oumar Diakité · Sturm Graz
- 45' Benjamin Verbič · Milot Avdyli · Celje
- 73' Svit Seslar · Celje
- 90+3' Oumar Diakité · Gizo Mamageishvili · Sturm Graz
Cards
- 17' Artemijus Tutyskinas · Celje
- 69' Oumar Diakité · Sturm Graz
- 90+2' Milot Avdyli · Celje
Match stats
⭐ Top-rated player: S. Sešlar (Celje) 8.8
Ratings and statistics: API-Football.
Confirmed lineups
Sturm Graz · 3-4-3
- 22A. HelacG
- 23A. MalicD
- 2J. QuarshieD
- 30P. KollerD
- 28J. HeilM
- 4J. Gorenc StankovičM
- 39Luca WeinhandlM
- 27L. BalboM
- 19S. SeidlF
- 14O. DiakitéF
- 78V. MatoshiF
Coach: F. Ingolitsch
Celje · 4-3-3
- 1Žan-Luk LebanG
- 2P. ŠirvysD
- 44Ł. BejgerD
- 6A. TutyškinasD
- 11M. AvdyliD
- 10S. SešlarM
- 19M. ZabukovnikM
- 13Papa Mustapha DanielM
- 25V. TushaF
- 47A. KučysF
- 7B. VerbičF
Coach: Z. Željkovič
Match facts
Recent form
Last 5 league games, latest on the right
Goals per game
| · | Scored | Conceded |
|---|---|---|
| Sturm Graz | 0.3 | 1.0 |
| Celje | 0.7 | 2.3 |
League position
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Sturm Graz | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 29 | Celje | 3 | -5 | 1 |
Absences
Sturm Graz
- Out N. Geyrhofer · Off the roster
- Out L. Grgic · Knee Injury
- Out S. Jatta · Shoulder Injury
- Out D. Khudyakov · Inactive
- Out O. Kiteishvili · Calf Injury
- Out G. Mamageishvili · Injury
- Out F. Rozga · Muscle Injury
- Out E. Soglo · Muscle Injury
- Out N. Weiper · Injury
- Out S. Wlodarczyk · Off the roster
Celje
No reported absences
PreviaXI model
Model confidence: Medium
- Expected goals (model)
- 1.77 – 1.08
- Double chance
- 1X · 77%12 76% · X2 47%
- Over 2.5 goals
- 54%Over 1.5: 78% · Over 3.5: 32%
- Both teams score
- 55%
- Clean sheet
- 34% – 17%Sturm Graz–Celje
- Half-time result
- 1 · 40%X 40% · 2 20%
- Half-time / full-time
- 1/1 · 33%X/1 17% · X/X 14%
- Expected corners
- 8.14.4 – 3.7 · Over 9.5: 30%
- Expected cards
- 4.11.9 – 2.2 · Over 3.5: 57%
Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →
A narrow table advantage
Sturm Graz are ten places and three points above Celje in the 36-team Europa League table, with four points after three matches compared with Celje’s one. The sides meet in Graz on Thursday, with the hosts seeking to strengthen their position in the league stage and Celje looking to turn a difficult start around.
Results point to a home edge
Sturm Graz have taken a win, a draw and a defeat in this competition, scoring once and conceding three goals. Their latest Europa League match was a win, and they have been unbeaten across two home matches: one win and one draw, with no goals conceded.
Celje have drawn once and lost twice in their three Europa League matches, scoring twice and conceding seven. They are without a win in three, and their only away match in the competition ended in defeat, with two goals conceded and none scored. These records cover matches in this competition only.
Ten absences shape Sturm’s task
The central concern for Sturm Graz is the scale of their unavailable group: ten players are listed as missing for this fixture. O. Kiteishvili, L. Grgic and S. Jatta are among those sidelined with calf, knee and shoulder injuries respectively; F. Rozga and E. Soglo are also out with muscle injuries. N. Geyrhofer and S. Wlodarczyk are off the roster, while D. Khudyakov is inactive. G. Mamageishvili and N. Weiper are also listed as absent through injury.
That leaves Sturm needing to manage a sizeable disruption even with a reassuring home record in Europe. Celje’s defensive record gives the hosts an opportunity, but Sturm’s limited scoring in the competition makes the missing options especially relevant.
The key figures
Sturm Graz have scored just once in their three Europa League matches, while Celje have conceded seven. The contrast is sharper at Sturm’s home ground: the Austrian side have kept two clean sheets in two home matches in this competition. Celje have kept none in their three Europa League matches.
Our prediction
Sturm Graz’s home resilience and Celje’s run without a win make the hosts favourites, although the injury crisis could blunt their attacking threat. PreviaXI’s model leans towards a home win, with both teams finding the net.
⚑ Report a mistakeEditorial policy
UEFA Europa League table All previews that day
More UEFA Europa League previews
UEFA Europa League 
AZ Alkmaar 
Juventus Our pick Away win Correct result
Juventus have nine players unavailable and one more doubtful for their visit to AZ Alkmaar. Their strong start in the Europa League will be tested by an AZ side coming off back-to-back wins.
Read preview UEFA Europa League 
Bayer Leverkusen 
Marseille Our pick Home win Missed
Marseille arrive at BayArena on a three-game losing streak in the Europa League and sit 32 places below Bayer Leverkusen. The hosts have won all three of their matches in the competition without conceding.
Read preview UEFA Europa League 
Benfica 
Lech Poznan Our pick Home win Correct result
Benfica sit first in the Europa League league-stage table, eight points ahead of 32nd-placed Lech Poznan. Lech arrive without six players, as Benfica look to extend a five-match winning run.
Read preview UEFA Europa League 
Celta Vigo 
Union St. Gilloise Our pick Away win Correct result
Celta Vigo need to turn home advantage into a response after a difficult start in the Europa League. Union St. Gilloise arrive unbeaten in the competition, with eight goals scored and just one conceded in three matches.
Read preview