Stadium Controversy Threatens SK Sturm Graz’s Path to Champions League.

Things are going really well at SK Sturm Graz. After winning the ÖFB Cup, Graz will play for the championship on Sunday in Salzburg (from 5 p.m., LIVE in the ticker >>>). If Sturm wins the title, the Champions League even beckons.

However, it is not yet certain that the games will also be played in the Merkur Arena. According to the “small newspaper” refuse admission to the stadium.

It is questionable whether the European association will still classify the venue in the necessary minimum category 4. “It’s going to be a big challenge,” explains Bruno Hütter, who is responsible for stadium affairs in the event of a storm, to the medium.

Escape to Klagenfurt or Vienna?

The work area for the media, which no longer corresponds to the guidelines of UEFA, is regarded as a shortcoming, it is said. The work area for TV stations is only 650 square meters, 1000 would be mandatory. The Merkur Arena also lacks many other details.

So it would have to be retrofitted. Otherwise the Styrians have to dodge. The Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt comes up for discussion. However, should Wolfsberger AC and Austria Klagenfurt qualify for international business, the venue will be ruled out. Then only the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna would probably be an option.

“If we had to move to another stadium, it would be a total loss for Sturm,” Sturm’s economic director Thomas Tebbich told the “Kleine Zeitung”. He calls on the city of Graz and the state of Styria to act.

Sturm-Evergreen: “And again no title SCR…!”