On Sunday, August 4, 2024, Rapid Vienna and reigning champions Sturm Graz will meet at the Allianz Stadium to kick off the new season in the Austrian Bundesliga. The game starts at 6:00 p.m. Central European Time. In this report, we analyze the chances of both teams, highlight the latest news, present the bookmakers’ odds, and venture a well-founded forecast for this promising duel.
Rapid Vienna: With tailwind into the new season
The Green-Whites finished last season in fourth place in the Austrian Bundesliga, securing their place in the Europa League qualifiers. There, Rapid already showed their strength and defeated Wisła Kraków with an impressive aggregate score of 8:2.
Preparations for the new season went very well for coach Zoran Barišić’s team. In five friendly matches, they won three games, drew one game and lost one. The 1:1 draw against top Italian club AC Milan was particularly notable.
- Strong performance in the Europa League qualification against Wisła Kraków (8:2 on aggregate)
- Remarkable 1:1 in the friendly against AC Milan
- 2-0 win in the ÖFB Cup against Neusiedl
- Eight of Rapid’s last ten games ended with at least three goals
- On average, 9.04 corners are scored in matches involving Rapid
Sturm Graz: The champion wants to defend his title
Sturm Graz enters the new season as the reigning Austrian champions. In the previous season, the team collected an impressive 44 points in 32 games and suffered only three defeats. As champions, Sturm qualifies directly for the group stage of the Champions League.
Preparations for the new season were mixed for coach Christian Ilzer’s team. In seven friendly matches, there were two wins, two draws and three defeats. However, the 4:3 victory against Red Bull Salzburg deserves special mention.
- Reigning Austrian champions with only three defeats in the previous season
- Direct entry into the Champions League group stage
- Remarkable 4:3 friendly win against Red Bull Salzburg
- Difficult 4:2 victory after extra time in the ÖFB Cup against regional league team Kremser SC
- Seven of Sturm’s last ten games ended with more than 2.5 goals
Bookmakers’ odds for Rapid Vienna – Sturm Graz:
| Betting providers | Victory Rapid Vienna | draw | Victory for Sturm Graz |
|---|---|---|---|
Previous duels between Rapid Vienna and Sturm Graz:
The recent past clearly speaks in favor of Sturm Graz. In the last five direct encounters, the Graz team won three times and drew twice. Rapid’s last victory against Sturm was on May 28, 2023 (3:2). Here is an overview of the last five encounters:
- 01.05.2024: Sturm Graz 2:1 Rapid Vienna
- 24.04.2024: Rapid Vienna 1:3 Sturm Graz
- 19.04.2024: Sturm Graz 1:0 Rapid Vienna
- 18.02.2024: Sturm Graz 1:1 Rapid Vienna
- 24.09.2023: Rapid Vienna 1:1 Sturm Graz
Prediction and bets for the match Rapid Wien vs Sturm Graz
Although Sturm Graz are slight favorites as reigning champions and based on recent duels, several factors point to a close game. Rapid Vienna are on the upswing after their strong performance in the Europa League qualifiers, while Sturm Graz were not entirely convincing in preparation.
The statistics of both teams suggest that the game will be full of goals. In addition, both teams will have an average number of corners, while the number of yellow cards will be rather moderate.
Safe tip: Over 2.5 goals in the match with odds of 1.86 at Tipico
Second tip: Rapid Vienna wins or draws (Double Chance 1X) with odds of 1.69 at Bwin
This match report has been prepared with the utmost care to provide you with a sound basis for your betting strategy. However, we would like to remind you that football is full of surprises and no bet can be guaranteed. Bet responsibly and always stay up to date with the latest developments before kick-off.
