Bundesliga Austria, Sunday, 11.08.2024 at 17:00
The Merkur-Arena in Graz will be the venue for the first home match of Austrian champions Sturm Graz against TSV Hartberg this Sunday. The Styrians suffered a defeat at Rapid on the first matchday.
Nevertheless, I can’t quite imagine that the visitors will actually be able to defeat the struggling defending champions. However, I’m betting on one of the following results: 1:1, 2:1 3:1, but perhaps also 2:2 or 3:2. At Betway, my tip is: “Double chance 1X and both teams score.”
In Spain, Italy, England or Germany, it’s usually no big deal in the championship race if any title contender loses their first league game of the season.
But in Austria, where everything is known to boil down to a close duel between the two strongest teams in the Alpine republic, it is!
However, if Sturm Graz also suffer a defeat against Hartberg after their 1-0 defeat against Rapid Vienna and see Salzburg pull away to six points, then good advice will soon be at a premium in Styria …
Meanwhile, Sturm sold Alexander Prass, an absolute cornerstone of the successful 2024/25 season, to Hoffenheim for a transfer fee in the millions just a few days ago.
The departure of the midfielder, who made 30 appearances last season, represents a further weakening that could make a successful title defense significantly more difficult.
Although Mika Biereth was bought by Arsenal at the end of his loan, this is a bet on the future that the club could well lose.
Although the Dane started strongly, he has increasingly turned out to be the personification of a chance killer of late. After all, he only scored 1 goal in his last 12 competitive appearances.
Will he really be an asset? I have my doubts about that …
Meanwhile, Hartberg is an ambitious team that has developed magnificently in recent years despite limited financial resources.
Last season, for example, they missed out on international football by a hair’s breadth, while they hope to avoid relegation in 2024/25.
Meanwhile, the new Bundesliga season started with a narrow 2:1 defeat against LASK, in which Linz deserved to bag the three points in the end
TSV will play a good season according to their potential. But I find it difficult to expect them to get more than a maximum of one point when they visit their neighbors on Sunday.
Hartberg and Graz are well connected by the A2 (Südautobahn), which makes the journey between the two cities relatively uncomplicated.
However, defeating Sturm in the Merkur Arena is no easy task. After all, TSV have only managed to do so once so far in 2020 (2 draws, 5 defeats).
However, the reigning Austrian champions have proved susceptible enough in the new season to at least extend the ongoing scoring streak between the two clubs
In the last five direct Bundesliga duels, both sides have always scored, but TSV have never been able to keep the upper hand.
This literally cries out for the entry of a combination bet of the type DC 1X & both meetings in the user-friendly Bet365 app of the provider of the same name, which also offers you the great Bet365 code.
Especially since Sturm Graz recently conceded two goals in the 1st round of the ÖFB Cup against a regional team like Kremser SC.
The fact is: you can’t really be satisfied with the defensive performance of the “Schwoazn” in Styria at this early stage of the season
TSV did not remain idle in the summer! The Bundesliga club reacted to Ousmane Diakité’s move to England by strengthening its midfield with Justin Omoregie.
The 20-year-old Omoregie is moving to Styria on a season-long loan from runners-up Red Bull Salzburg. Born in Vienna, he has been a member of Salzburg’s Bundesliga squad since 2022 but has yet to make an appearance.
On matchday 1, Omoregie “directed” the Hartberg midfield. And even though his debut against LASK left a lot to be desired, I think he’s a promising player who could show what he’s capable of against Sturm
In addition, I maintain that it won’t take anything superhuman for Graz to concede at least one goal.
The newly crowned champions could also be struggling with a bit of ring rust, as this is their first home game since May.
Furthermore, although Graz have played six test matches at the Merkur Arena since then, they have conceded an average of 2.16 goals per game.
Even a footballing lightweight like the Slovenian first division team put three balls in the net in just 52 minutes of play in the summer!
Conclusion: Falling behind Salzburg by six points so early in the season cannot, of course, be seen as a preliminary decision, even in Austria.
Nevertheless, that would be a bitter setback for Graz, who have just sold a cornerstone of the last double season and now urgently need a convincing win.
Hartberg are perfectly capable of scoring a goal and perhaps even salvaging a 1-1 draw over time. But if any offense is going to score multiple goals at the Merkur-Arena on Sunday, it will probably be the home side.
My Sturm Graz Hartberg tip: DC 1X & both score
