Champions League Predictions
Champions League qualifiers: Hearts v Sturm Graz Second Leg Predictions
Hearts of Midlothian host Sturm Graz at Tynecastle park on Tuesday night needing to overturn a 4-0 first leg deficit to keep their Champions League dream alive. William Hill News are here to preview how the night might unfold.
Wouter Vrancken’s reign as Hearts boss got off to the worst possible start in Graz, where Jon Goren Stankovic’s early header set the tone before Jeyland Mitchell, Luca Weinhandl, and Jurgen heil turned a one-goal lead into a 4-0 rout inside 15 second-half minutes. It leaves the Jambos requiring one of the great European comebacks just to stay in the tie.
Our prediction: Hearts To Win & Both Teams To Score – 5/2
Sturm Graz have scored in every game they’ve played this preseason and travel to Edinburgh full of confidence, while Hearts are still getting used to life under a new coach and are without key players who led them to success last season. Therefore, backing the Austrians To Win Or Draw looks the more sensible and valuable route rather than chasing a home win at short odds.
What else is on offer?
William Hill make Hearts odds-on favourites for the 90 minutes at Tynecastle, with the Jambos available at 4/5 to win at home, the draw priced at 5/2, and Sturm Graz out at 14/5. However, those 90-minute prices mask the bigger picture: on aggregate, Sturm Graz are as short as 1/50 to win the tie, with Hearts the rank outsiders at 16/1 to complete the great escape.
For punters looking beyond those markets, Sturm Graz To Win Or Draw is on offer at 10/11. Hearts had 67% possession and matched Sturm Graz for expected goals in the first leg but failed to fire in front of goal. The home advantage should provide Hearts with some more confidence in front of goal this time round.
We also have a selection of Price Boosts on offer, including Hearts To Win and Both Teams To Score, available at 5/2. The Jambos with have Tynecastle Park behind them for 90 minutes and we expect that to help them find the net on more than one occasion en route to a win. However, their frailties from set pieces make them vulnerable to conceding against a side that have shown they can punish you from any angle.
Team News
Vrancken used Friday’s 1-0 friendly win over Raith Rovers to freshen up his squad, with Rogers Mato pushing for involvement after missing the first leg, meanwhile, new arrival Stuart Findlay is in contention to shore up a defence that leaked four in the reverse fixture.
Sturm Graz, who made wholesale changes for their midweek cup win over SV Seekirchen, are expected to revert closer to their first-leg selection and will again be without injured striker Amady Camara for Tuesday’s tie.
*Prices accurate at the time of writing – odds subject to change*
