RB Leipzig will be hoping to celebrate one final win in Europe this season when they visit Sturm Graz. - © Stuart Franklin

bundesliga

Sturm Graz vs. RB Leipzig: UEFA Champions League probable teams, match stats and LIVE blog!

26.01.2025

There's nothing to play for when RB Leipzig travel to Sturm Graz in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, but that won't deter the away side from going for glory in their final fixture of the league phase (kick-off: 9pm CET).

Latest

Leipzig proved they weren't going out of European competition without a fight a week ago. Having lost their previous six encounters in this season's league phase - five of them by a one-goal margin - they picked up an impressive 2-1 victory against qualification hopefuls Sporting Lisbon. Last weekend's subsequent 2-2 draw against defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen - a game in which Die Roten Bullen battled back from two goals down - means Wednesday's visitors are now keen to extend a three-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Péter Gulácsi returned in goal on Saturday after missing the Sporting encounter with a shoulder issue, but midfielder Kevin Kampl is a doubt after he limped off against Leverkusen with a calf problem. "We played really well against Sporting in the Champions League in midweek, while [today against Leverkusen] feels like a win," Leipzig left-back David Raum said of an encouraging set of results. "These are the positive steps that we need to be taking as a young team. I’m really proud of the lads."

With the Austrian Bundesliga currently on a winter break, Graz will be 100 percent focused on Leipzig and what will be the final clash of a difficult Champions League campaign. With six defeats and just one win on the continent this season, Austria's defending champions are already sure of elimination, but will be looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s 5-0 hiding at the hands of Atalanta and go out on a high against fellow eliminees Leipzig. “I hope that we will be one step further next week against Leipzig,” said Sturm boss Jürgen Säumel after the big defeat in Bergamo, having noted how his side’s long winter break had left them short of rhythm. Saümel will doubtless be hoping that Mieka Biereth, who has scored two of his side’s four goals in the competition this season, can lead by example against their crossborder rivals. However, the Matchday 4 defeat to a Borussia Dortmund side down in mid-table in the current Bundesliga standings is a stark reminder of just how big a task they face against 2019/20 semi-finalists Leipzig.

Watch: Leipzig fight back to earn draw against Leverkusen

Match stats

Leipzig lost their final first stage game in their debut Champions League season (2-1 vs. Besiktas, 2017/18), but are unbeaten in five since, winning each of the last four.
Benjamin Šeško has four Champions League goals this season, with only Christopher Nkunku scoring more in a single campaign for Leipzig (seven in 2021/22).
Three of Loïs Openda's five goals across 15 Champions League appearances for Leipzig have come on the road.
Leipzig are chasing their first Champions League away win of the season, after defeats at Celtic, Inter Milan and Aston Villa. Hamburg were the last German team to lose more in a single campaign (five away defeats in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League).
Rose faced Graz nine times as Red Bull Salzburg coach, winning six (D1, L2).
Graz have lost seven of their previous nine games in European competition against German opposition (W1, D1), including 1-0 away to Dortmund in November.

Probable teams

Graz: Scherpen - Malić, Aiwu, Wüthrich, Lavalée - Stanković (c) - Chukwuani, Kiteishvili, Yalcouyé - Bøving, Camara
Out: Johnston (muscular injury), Borković (cruciate tear)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Jürgen Säumel

Leipzig: Gulácsi - Geertruida, Orbán (c), Bitshiabu, Raum - Baumgartner, Seiwald, Haidara, Xavi - Openda, Šeško
Out: Baku (ineligible), Henrichs (Achilles), Ouédraogo (groin)
Doubtful: Kampl (calf), Lukeba (fitness), Silva (calf), Schlager (knee)
Coach: Marco Rose

LIVE blog!

Graz

Wed, 29.01 20:00

Leipzig

Champions League
League phase, Matchday 8 League phase, Matchday 8 Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt

The story so far: Sturm Graz

The hosts have an almost identical record to Leipzig, having lost six of their seven games up until now, winning the remaining one. They have a slightly worse goal difference however (-10), meaning they sit three places below Leipzig. Their only win of this season's campaign came against Spanish side Girona (1-0); Mika Biereth, who scored the winning goal in that game, has since left for Monaco.

The story so far: RB Leipzig

It was a Champions League campaign to forget for Marco Rose's men, who have won just one of their seven games so far, losing the remaining six. Their sole win came last time out against Sporting Lisbon (2-1), with Benjamin Šeško and Yussuf Poulsen firing them to victory. Consequently, they won't be able to advance into the next stage of the tournament, but will aim to end with another victory.

1:04

Watch: RB Leipzig 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen - highlights

Leipzig secured an impressive draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 19, come from two goals down to secure a point and keep them in the hunt for fourth place.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of RB Leipzig's eighth and final game of the UEFA Champions League's 2024/25 league phase away at Sturm Graz on Wednesday, with all 18 fixtures being played simultaneously on the final matchday.