Sturm Graz vs RB Leipzig Prediction: Sesko can score in dead rubber

Sturm Graz and RB Leipzig are both out of this year’s Champions League and will play out a dead rubber on Wednesday night. The new Champions League format was meant to avoid these types of matches, but here we are. Still kudos to you for reading my preview on this match, as we try to find some value. If you want to read about one of the UCL games that actually matters, please check out some of the fantastic previews my colleagues have written. 

Anyway, let’s get stuck into my Sturm Graz vs RB Leipzig predictions as we search for a winner.

Team News

Sturm Graz remain without long-term absentee Alexander Borkovic who suffered an ACL injury back in March 2024, but his return date is getting closer. Max Johnston is a name that will be familiar to Motherwell fans, but unfortunately he will also miss this clash with a recurring muscle issue. 

Manager Jurgen Samuel is trying to earn a Champions League victory whilst in the middle of a winter break, but it does mean his players are fresh, so expect the strongest line-up to be named here. Jon Gorenc Stankovic, William Boving and Otar Kiteishvili all likely to start, as they did in the 5-0 defeat to Atalanta. 

Football Odds

RB Leipzig welcomed back Peter Gulacsi in goal at the weekend after his shoulder issues ruled him out of the win over Sporting CP. After a disappointing campaign, they will look to build on that victory, although Kevin Kampl is a doubt after he went off against Leverkusen with a calf issue. It would be a surprise to see him involved in midweek, so expect Amadou Haidara to come into the heart of midfield from the off. 

Marco Rose may choose to rotate his team given the fact they have nothing to play for here, and with Benjamin Sesko’s future at the club still uncertain, he will want to go out with a bang. Lois Openda may start alongside Yussuf Poulson if the former Borussia Dortmund boss does shake things up in the attacking third, while Andre Silva remains out with a calf injury.

Sturm Graz vs RB Leipzig Odds

Sturm Graz are the outsiders for this clash despite playing on home soil, and they can be backed at 11/4 to win this one. RB Leipzig are available at 19/20, giving them an implied win probability of 51%, while a draw is also 11/4.

Over 2.5 goals can be backed at 8/13, BTTS is 4/7 and Openda is the favourite to open the scoring at 9/2. He’s also 13/10 to find the net at any point across the 90 minutes. 

RB Leipzig to win @ 19/20

Leipzig have lost six in a row in this competition, and their showing has been really disappointing in Europe this term. However, last time out they showed shoots of promise as they overcame Sporting CP 2-1, and the Portuguese club were hopeful of an automatic qualification spot in this season’s league table. 

They also came from two goals down against Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen to draw 2-2 at the weekend and Die Roten Bullen appear to have turned a corner in recent weeks. They will fancy their chances of making it four games unbeaten in all competitions as they face Sturm Graz, an outfit who just haven’t been able to compete at this level. I also believe the Austrian winter break could leave the hosts slightly short of match sharpness, and to prove that point, they were hammered by Italian side Atalanta last week. 

Leipzig boss Rose faced Graz nine times as Red Bull Salzburg coach, winning six (D1, L2), while Graz have lost seven of their previous nine games in European competition against German opposition, including going down 1-0 away to Dortmund in November. Away win. 

Benjamin Sesko to score anytime @ 13/10

I’ll back the main man to find the net again. I don’t think Sesko will want to miss out in the Champions League, and after a successful individual campaign, will want to add to his tally of four goals so far. Only Christopher Nkunku (7) has outscored Sesko for RB Leipzig in a Champions League campaign and it feels like a night where he could score a couple of goals. 

We will play it safe on this occasion and back Sesko to find the net at anytime, against a Graz outfit that has conceded 14 times in seven UCL matches so far. 

Offers

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Wednesday's Champions League Predictions:

The team here at Betfred Insights have you fully-covered for the final round of Champions League matches this Wednesday. You can check out all of our previews for the matches below:

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Barcelona vs Atalanta Prediction: Expect goals, goals, goals in the Catalan capital
Bayer Leverkusen vs Sparta Prague Prediction: Wirtz can secure qualification
Bayern Munich vs Slovan Bratislava Prediction: Kim to cash in for Kompany’s corner kings
Borussia Dortmund vs Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction: Hosts may have to dig in against the Miners
Brest vs Real Madrid Prediction: Mbappe can score for sixth straight match at Brest
Dinamo Zagreb vs AC Milan Prediction: Rossoneri to get the job done
Girona vs Arsenal Prediction: Gunners to keep another clean sheet
Inter Milan vs Monaco Prediction: Hosts to secure knockout place
Juventus vs Benfica Prediction: Two anytime scorer bets worth backing
Lille vs Feyenoord Prediction: Canadian to catch visitors cold in France
Manchester City vs Club Brugge: Citizens to dig deep for the result they need
PSV vs Liverpool Prediction: Hosts to overcome booking points handicap in Eindhoven
Red Bull Salzburg vs Atletico Madrid Prediction: Alvarez to come up with another goal
Sporting CP vs Bologna Prediction: Italians can halt Sporting’s Play-off progress
Stuttgart vs PSG Prediction: Barcola to rise to occasion again
Young Boys vs Red Star Belgrade Prediction: Red Star can sign off with a win