Sturm Graz aims to replace Rennes' Schneid in the Europa League duel

In the Merkur‑Arena stadium, a tense anticipation hangs in the air as Graz fans take their seats. SK Sturm Graz is preparing to face Stade Rennes on Wednesday at 21:00 – the clash with the French top club, referred to as Rennes Schneid. After the clearly missed promotion last season, the team gets a second chance in its history to compete in the UEFA Europa League.

First hurdle against Stade Rennes

As the first hurdle, a real highlight awaits the Styrians: the home match against the unbeaten French club. Rennes has not suffered a setback in four Ligue‑1 games, most recently with a 1:0 home win over Marseille. Before that came a 2:2 draw against defending champions Paris Saint‑Germain, which puts the club level on points with league leaders Lille and Monaco.

Market value and role distribution

Rennes' market value stands at just over €233 million, while Graz's is significantly lower at around €60 million. “We are clear outsiders, the roles were rarely so clearly defined,” explained Sturm coach Fabio Ingolitsch. James Doak of GEPA emphasized that the French club is strong technically, in positional play and physically – a top club from a top‑five league in Europe.

Personnel issues at Sturm Graz

Sturm has to line up despite numerous injuries: Seedy Jatta, Leon Grgic and Nelson Weiper are out, Axel Kayombo and Szymon Wlodarczyk were not nominated for the Europa League, and Oumar Diakite is still not fit. Midfielder Gizo Mamageishvili could be called upon as a striker alongside goalkeeper Belmin Beganovic, while Otar Kiteischwili and Jon Gorenc Stankovic remain uncertain.

The preparation was far from ideal: only the players who did not start in the 2:1 win over LASK on Sunday completed a final training session on Tuesday. Rennes, on the other hand, had already played on Friday and benefited from two extra rest days, which, according to Ingolitsch, lifted the mood considerably.

So far, 12 000 tickets have been sold, and Ingolitsch stressed that the fans form the “twelfth man” and should therefore create a plus‑one numerical advantage. The French club is staying in Marburg, Slovenia, because the motorcycle GP in Spielberg prevents accommodation in the region.

Rennes coach Franck Haise, after the 1:0 win over Marseille, spoke of hard work, control and quality. Historically, Sturm has already had good experiences against French representatives: victories over Marseille in 1999 (3:2) and Monaco in 2000 (2:0) in the Champions League, as well as a draw against Monaco in 2021 (1:1) in the Europa League. The only defeat to a French opponent came on 7 March 2024 in the Conference League against Lille (0:3).

Thus, Sturm Graz faces a significant task: the match against Rennes Schneid could mark the difference between further European cup success and an early exit – a moment that could shape the second chance in the club’s history.