Defender on the approach

Säumel: “We want a strong finish!”

A premiere awaits Sturm coach Jürgen Säumel on Wednesday.(Bild: GEPA)

The last major appearance in the Champions League! In the final round of the league phase of the Champions League, Sturm will welcome RB Leipzig to the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt on Wednesday evening (9pm). This will be the first time they have played a German team at home in the Champions League. 

The last dance in the Champions League! In the final round of the league phase, Sturm welcome RB Leipzig to the Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt. And there will be another premiere at the end. For the first time in the club's history, Graz will face a German club in a home match in the top flight. While this will be the visitors' sixth competitive match in 2025, it will only be the second attempt for Graz. "That's extra motivation. A really cool task against a top international club," said Sturm coach Jürgen Säumel.

Säumel is calling for more depth against Leipzig.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

And to be able to hold their own there, they need to improve their performance compared to last week's 5-0 loss at Bergamo, especially defensively. "We have to be clearer, defend better. We made a lot of individual mistakes," emphasized defensive boss Gregory Wüthrich. Both Sturm and Leipzig have only managed one win in the top flight so far. While this was to be expected for the "Blackies", the Bulls have been completely disappointing. It was only last week that they picked up their first "three-pointer" with a 2:1 win against Sporting Lisbon. Before that, there were six consecutive defeats. But it's clear that the Styrians are also the clear underdogs in this match. "They have great individual quality. We know what to expect, it will be a very intense game, just like against Salzburg. We want a strong finish," says Säumel.

No tips from Ilzer
Säumel did not take any tips from his predecessor Christian Ilzer - who beat Leipzig 4:3 on his debut as Hoffenheim coach. "There was no direct contact. But of course we prepared for Leipzig with videos, which included this game." And, of course, they also want to score in front of a record crowd on Wednesday. With 23,691 spectators, the match against Sporting Lisbon was the best attended. More than 26,000 tickets have already been sold for the match against Leipzig.

New left-back on the way
Meanwhile, rumors are currently circulating that Sturm is set to land a new left-back in Emran Soglo. The 19-year-old Englishman was trained in the youth ranks of Premier League club Chelsea. He is currently under contract with Olympique Marseille until the summer. There he made brief appearances in Ligue 1 and the Europa League. "Our sporting director will announce it when the time comes. I'm fully focused on the match," said Säumel. In contrast, Emir Karic could leave Graz again. The 27-year-old joined from Darmstadt in the summer, but has not been able to establish himself as a regular.