SK Sturm Graz show Celtic how it’s done, days before Europa League meeting and abject Dundee showing

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Celtic are searching for their first Europa League win of the season when SK Sturm Graz visit Glasgow on Thursday evening.

Brendan Rodgers’ side head into this game with morale low and major questions over this Celtic team.

On Sunday, Celtic failed to beat Dundee and didn’t even manage to find the back of the net at Dens Park, despite Steven Pressley’s side hovering above the relegation zone.

But whilst the champions of Scotland have no life to their game, the same can’t be said for SK Sturm Graz in Austria.

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SK Sturm Graz involved in a seven-goal thriller before Celtic trip

Whilst Celtic are sitting second in the Premiership table, five points behind Hearts, and struggling to score goals.

The same can’t be said for Sturm Graz, who are flying at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga on 21 points, three points ahead of second-placed RB Salzburg, and with a game in hand.

Over the weekend, as Celtic were stinking out the place in Dundee, their Thursday night opponents were involved in a 4-3 thriller against FC Blau-Weiß Linz.

Up until the hour mark, the scores were level, then all hell broke loose, with Sturm Graz going 3-1 up, and then being pegged back to 3-3, before sealing the win with three minutes left on the clock.

Sturm Graz, who are managed by Jürgen Säumel, have scored 18 goals from nine games, conceding seven, whilst Celtic have 11 goals from eight matches.

Sturm Graz’s win over Rangers

This is the second time Sturm Graz are going to be facing Glasgow opposition because they beat Russell Martin’s Rangers for their first win of the competition before the October international break.

Midtjylland did defeat the Austrian side on the opening night, and Celtic, with only one point to their name after two matches, need to get going as quickly as possible.

Celtic are in the relegation zone, and with games against high-flying Midtjylland on the horizon, as well as a trip to Feyenoord, the team can’t afford to be going into those matches chasing their first win, or else the worst could happen, and that’s not even reaching the play-off stages.