Duel of the goal scorers

50 million share meets Sturm’s “icebreaker”

Lille's 50-million-euro striker Jonathan David (l.) sets off in pursuit of Sturm.

(Bild: AFP or licensors)

The eyes of the fans will be on the French side's number nine in the Conference League round of 16 clash between Sturm and Lille on Thursday (18:45). Jonathan David, who at 50 million euros has a transfer value equal to that of the entire Sturm squad, is the personified goal threat. But the Blackies are banking on Mika Biereth, the "icebreaker" from London.

"He's worth as much as our entire squad," says Sturm's ÖFB team striker Manny Sarkaria, who is already excited about Jonathan David, who also knocked out Salzburg 1-0 in Lille in the 2021 Champions League. And the 24-year-old Canadian's "calling card" does indeed look spooky: the New York-born striker, who scored 26 international goals for Canada at the last World Cup, has scored 75 times in 169 games in Ligue 1 since his €27 million transfer from Ghent in 2020. That makes him number two on Lille's all-time goalscoring list. He is just seven goals behind leader Andre Strappe.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com, SK Graz, AFP/Francois Nascimbeni)

The bomber, who scored 15 goals in the league last season, had a tough start in the fall. After scoring just two goals, he even lost his regular place. But in the spring, he rose like a phoenix from the ashes. He has scored ten of his twelve league goals in the last twelve games - bringing his total to 17 competitive goals. Only Kylian Mbappe (32) has scored more often in France.

As his contract expires in 2025, a departure this summer is on the cards - Chelsea, Napoli and AC Milan were already highly interested. Lille, however, want 60 million.

Mika Biereth (l.) is keen to score goals - because Arsenal and Denmark are keeping a close eye on him.

(Bild: Marlene Borkenstein)

As a kind of answer to David, Sturm is banking on goals from winter signing Mika Biereth. The 19-year-old striker on loan from Arsenal has scored five times in seven games - four times he was the "icebreaker" with the 1:0 lead. "I think I've settled in quite well in Graz," says the Danish U21 team striker happily, "I hope it continues like this!"

He passes on the praise for his "icebreaker" function to his colleagues: "They give me the ball in dangerous situations and my job is to score. I hope that continues!" Lille? "It will be a tough game against a great opponent who are doing well in France. They have great players like Angel Gomes, who also comes from England. Jonathan David is also a great striker. I'm looking forward to comparing myself with him. I hope he doesn't score and I do."

Scoring goals at international level could be an advertisement: "I'm planned for the Danish U21 team and I hope to score there and then move on to the senior team."

In any case, Arsenal are very interested in the development of their diamond: "Almost every day there are reports from coaches, support staff, analysts, psychologists and nutritionists. They tell me to keep doing what I'm doing. And then we'll see what happens in the summer."

There will be no tips from Bayern star Jamal Musiala: "He's been my best friend since we were ten years old and we talk to each other every day. But we never talk about soccer."