LASK take on the visitors Sturm Graz in the round 1 match of Austrian Bundesliga. The match will be played on Friday, August 1st at Raiffeisen Arena (Linz).
LASK are currently marking the anniversary of their greatest achievement — the golden double of the 1964/1965 season. But both before and especially after that, they have failed to reach comparable heights. In recent years, however, the Linz-based side have become regular participants in European competitions, including a group stage appearance in the Europa Conference League last season. Domestically, though, they finished just 7th after the regular season and were relegated to the relegation group in the spring phase. Although they topped that group and went on to defeat Hartberg in the play-offs, they eventually lost the decisive Conference League spot to Rapid Vienna — winning 3-1 at home but collapsing 0-3 away. Despite the inconsistency, former midfielder Thomas Sageder has remained in charge, but pressure is building. The new season hasn’t brought much promise either, with preseason results lacking sharpness and the attack still struggling to find fluency.
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Sturm clearly want to stay at the top. The Black team from Graz have tasted success in the past — with titles in the late '90s and again in 2011. Their recent rise has been gradual but impressive. After finishing runners-up behind Red Bull Salzburg for two consecutive years, they finally capitalized when the Salzburg giants stumbled, winning the 2023/2024 Bundesliga title. Even after their head coach left mid-season, they managed to retain the title while simultaneously competing in the Champions League group stage — a rare double for any Austrian side. Young coach Jürgen Samuel, promoted last November after Ilzer's move to Hoffenheim, has continued to build a disciplined and competitive team. Despite limited resources, Sturm have made smart squad additions and started the new campaign with a confident win over Austria Klagenfurt.
Sturm have beaten LASK three times in a row en route to their recent league triumphs. In fact, they've lost only once in the last seven meetings, with five victories in that span. The reigning champions have every reason to extend their dominant head-to-head record. Back the visitors with a “draw no bet” safety net.
Prediction for the match: Sturm Graz to win with 0.0 handicap.
