Celtic is gearing up to face Austrian champions Sturm Graz in Glasgow’s east end as they seek to recover from a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday. Currently, the team has only managed one point from their first two fixtures in the Europa League, following a 1-1 draw against Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and a home loss to Braga.
Among the players to watch is left-back Marcelo Saracchi, who has already received two yellow cards in the tournament. Should he receive another booking against Sturm Graz, he would face a one-match suspension, ruling him out of the upcoming game against Midtjylland in two weeks.
According to the rules governing the Europa League, players are suspended for one match after accumulating three yellow cards, with further suspensions imposed for any subsequent odd-numbered cautions. These yellow card cautions carry over into the knockout stages but are wiped clean after the quarter-finals. In cases of red cards, players face a one-match suspension, which can increase depending on the seriousness of the infraction.
Celtic has a financial incentive as well; a victory against Sturm Graz will net them €450,000, while a draw will still secure €150,000. However, a loss would yield no financial benefit.
Kick-off is set for 8:00 PM, and fans can tune in live on TNT Sports. Ahead of the match, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers emphasized the strength of Sturm Graz, noting their goal-scoring capabilities and speed on the field. “We’ve studied Sturm Graz and they’re a really good side,” Rodgers remarked. “They’ll come here and want to do well. But of course, we’re at home, we want to get a first win in the competition and hope that it can provide the lift-off for our season.”
With the stakes high and the team motivated, Celtic will be looking to turn their fortunes around in what promises to be an exciting encounter.