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Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Thursday 15 October, 8:00pm BST
Bournemouth are still finding their feet under Marco Rose after a mixed opening to the season, but they are set to play their very first European home game on Thursday, when Sturm Graz visit the Vitality Stadium for a landmark Europa League league phase match.
Fabio Ingolitsch's side played out a goalless draw with Rennes on matchday one, and it remains to be seen what level of attacking force the boss can muster from a squad missing two of its main scorers through injury.
Bournemouth vs Sturm Graz: form guide and preview
Back-to-back Premier League defeats prior to this contest, a 1-0 home loss to Liverpool and then a 5-1 thrashing at Chelsea, have cast a shadow over the occasion, though the calibre of both opponents provides some context alongside the fact the team are still adapting to Rose's style.
The former RB Leipzig manager was appointed in April to succeed Andoni Iraola, and he started off his tenure with defeat in just one of his first six competitive outings, a resilience that Rose will be keen to reinstate.
On matchday one, the Cherries secured all three points in a 2-1 triumph on the road against La Liga's Real Sociedad, racing into a two-goal lead in the first 20 minutes and holding out after conceding early in the second half.
Marcus Tavernier arrives in form as Bournemouth's leading Premier League scorer this season, while Evanilson tops the squad for goal contributions in the division given the striker has chipped in with three assists.
Bournemouth's backline has conceded in four of their last five matches across all competitions, and the manner of the defeat to Chelsea underlined how exposed they can look at times against quality opposition – though neither Sturm Graz nor their heavily depleted squad are in a position to replicate that kind of threat on Thursday.
This clash also carries the weight of a historic occasion for supporters on the south coast, who will be watching their club host a continental opponent at the Vitality Stadium for the very first time, adding an extra layer of motivation for Rose's side to make it a memorable night.
Sturm Graz are five-time Austrian champions, but have looked some way off that level early this season, beaten 3-0 away at RB Salzburg after a goalless draw with Rennes in their own league phase opener.
Ingolitsch took over as head coach on New Year's Day after Jurgen Saumel's exit, and he will be hoping to better his predecessor's record of four defeats from four away fixtures during last term's league phase.
However, considering that Sturm Graz have suffered 10 losses from their last 11 European away days, anything other than another beating would come as a surprise.
Oumar Diakite is the club's top scorer in the Austrian Bundesliga this term and he will be raring to get off the mark in Europe, though Nelson Weiper and Seedy Jatta, who have netted two goals apiece, are injured for Thursday's trip, dealing a significant blow to the visitors' attacking options.
That being said, there are positives for Sturm Graz to carry into Thursday's showdown, given they beat Austria Vienna 2-0 last weekend, not to mention the fact that Simon Seidl's five assists this season suggest Ingolitsch's men will have creativity on their side at the Vitality.
Team news: Bournemouth vs Sturm Graz
Bournemouth team news
Bournemouth's Julian Araujo is out once again, with Marco Rose confirming the right-back is set to be sidelined until November at the earliest.
Alex Scott and Eli Junior Kroupi remain out through respective thigh and foot injuries, leaving Rose short of top-quality options in central midfield and in the forward line behind Evanilson.
The better news is that both Justin Kluivert and Amine Adli are back in the squad. Rose confirmed both are available for a short spell off the bench, “Not for a whole game, not for 45,” but enough to change the tempo late on if Thursday's occasion demands it.
Veljko Milosavljevic remains a doubt due to a knee concern, with his fitness shaping Rose's back-four options ahead of kick-off.
Bournemouth predicted lineup vs Sturm Graz
Probable Bournemouth XI (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Smith, Hill, Silva, Truffert; Christie, Adams; Rayan, Brooks, Tavernier; Evanilson.
Sturm Graz team news
Sturm Graz travel to the Vitality Stadium without Weiper and Jatta, which strips Ingolitsch of two of his most reliable finishers at the worst possible time, while Leon Grgic is still a long way from a return from his ACL injury.
Albert Vallci is a doubt with a knock, though Joshua Quarshie and Paul-Friedrich Koller should be on hand to start at centre-back.
Elsewhere, Emran Soglo and Filip Rozga remain unavailable through separate muscle injuries, and Otar Kiteishvili and Gizo Mamageishvili add to a lengthy casualty list in midfield and attack.
With that volume of absentees, Ingolitsch is likely to lean on the versatility of players such as Jacob Hodl and Simon Seidl, who can both operate across several positions in his attacking line.
Sturm Graz predicted lineup vs Bournemouth
Probable Sturm Graz XI (4-2-3-1): Khudyakov; Malic, Quarshie, Koller, Balbo; Gorenc Stankovic, Weinhandl; Heil, Seidl, Hodl; Diakite.
Stankovic
Head-to-head: Bournemouth and Sturm Graz
Bournemouth and Sturm Graz have never met before in any competition, and Thursday's game will add a new page to each club's story.
The lack of history adds to the novelty of the occasion for supporters on the south coast, who are about to watch their club host a European opponent at the Vitality Stadium for the first time.
One match into the Europa League's league phase, Sturm Graz are looking for a first win in the competition, while the Cherries will be hoping to add to their tally after earning a victory over Real Sociedad.
Our Bournemouth vs Sturm Graz prediction and betting tips
Odds correct as of Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
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- Evanilson's movement in behind should create problems for the Sturm Graz centre-back pairing, and the Brazilian is well-placed to open the scoring from close range.
- Tavernier has been a force for Bournemouth this season, and carries a threat that a depleted Sturm Graz will struggle to contain for the full 90 minutes.
- The visitors retain a counter-attacking threat even without Weiper and Jatta, and Seidl's guile in the number 10 role gives the visitors a realistic chance of exploiting Bournemouth's defensive vulnerability at least once.
- Bournemouth's superior quality and the energy of a historic first European home night should be enough to see Rose's side claim all three points, though not without a moment of anxiety along the way.
Anthony is an avid Liverpool fan that covers football and the World Cup on TNT Sports. A few seasons deep into his work writing for a number of sites such as Sports Mole and Football Ground Guide, he regularly previews upcoming clashes and pens features about the latest and greatest in the beautiful game. Anthony is looking forward to writing about how the Reds continue to spend the Coutinho money.