Celtic vs Sturm Graz Prediction and Betting Tips | October 23rd 2025

Celtic will host Sturm Graz at Celtic Park on Thursday in the third round of the 2025-26 UEFA Europa League league phase. The home side have been poor in recent games, most recently suffering a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership and will be desperate to turn a corner when they return to continental football this week.

The Celts played out a 1-1 draw with Crvena Zvezda in their tournament opener last month with Kelechi Iheanacho's 55th-minute opening goal canceled out by their Serbian hosts 10 minutes later. They then hosted Sporting Braga in their second league phase game and lost 2-0.

Sturm Graz, meanwhile, locked horns with Midtjylland in their Europa League opener and were beaten 2-0 despite creating a couple of chances to get on the scoresheet themselves. However, they picked up their first win of the tournament last time out, beating a wayward Rangers outfit 2-1 via first-half efforts from Tomi Horvat and Otar Kiteishvili.

The visitors sit 22nd in the table and will be targeting back-to-back European wins when they head to Scotland this week.

Celtic vs Sturm Graz Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• Thursday's game will mark the first-ever competitive meeting between the two teams.
• Celtic have had 12 meetings against Austrian opponents in European competitions. They have won just two of those games, drawn three, and lost the other seven.
• Sturm have had five competitive meetings against Scottish opposition, winning three of those games and losing the other two.
• Both sides boast the best defensive records in their respective domestic leagues, with Celtic conceding five goals in eight matches while Sturm have conceded seven in nine.

Celtic vs Sturm Graz Prediction

The Celts have lost two of their last three games after going undefeated in their previous five. They are clear favorites heading into the midweek clash, but will need to improve on their recent lapses if they are to get the job done in front of their home fans.

Die Schwoazn, on the other hand, have won their last four games on the bounce and six of their last seven. The sheer gulf in class and quality between the two teams could, however, see the visitors lose this one.

Prediction: Celtic 1-0 Sturm Graz

Celtic vs Sturm Graz Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Result: Celtic to win

Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Under 2.5 goals (Four of the hosts' last five matches have produced fewer than 2.5 goals)

Tip 3 - Both teams to score: NO (Both sides have found the back of the net in just two of the visitors' last nine matches)

Edited by Peter P