Sturm Graz begin their Europa League campaign on Tuesday evening at 6pm. The opponent at home is French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes, against whom, according to coach Fabio Ingolitsch, "no grey zone is allowed". The coach demands a clear performance from his team with no half-measures.
The signs are mixed. Sturm Graz sit fourth in the Bundesliga after six games with 11 points and are on a run of three wins, one draw and one defeat from their last five matches. The most recent success was a 2-1 home win against LASK Linz last weekend, with goals from Gizo Mamageishvili and Oumar Diakité. Nevertheless, there are question marks in attack ahead of the European opener.
Ingolitsch stressed the need for a defined style of play. The team must decide between an offensive or defensive approach to compete with the strong French side. A look at the standings shows Sturm are well placed in the league, just four points behind the leaders. The next task awaits on Sunday with the away game at Red Bull Salzburg, but first comes the European focus. The squad for the upcoming games can be viewed on our squad page.
The team wants to build on the successful European nights of recent years. Whether such a magical moment comes against Rennes depends on the execution of the clear instructions. The season's top scorer is currently N. Weiper with two goals.
First reported at Kleine Zeitung Sport
