Celtic return to Europa League action on Thursday night.
The Hoops will welcome Sturm Graz to Parkhead as they search for their first league phase win this season.
In contrast, the Austrian Bundesliga champions have three points having beaten Russell Martin’s Rangers on October 2.
Celtic are in a bad spot having lost 2-0 to Dundee on Sunday, certainly not ideal preparation to play a side top of their league after nine games.
Sturm Graz won 4-3 at the weekend against FC Blau-Weiß Linz to move three points clear with a game in hand.
The Bhoys have faced Sturm Graz only once before and it came in the summer of 2016 in what was Brendan Rodgers‘ second game in charge of the team.
His first outing was a 2-2 draw with NK Celje, so what happened against Sturm Graz?
- READ MORE: The last time Celtic trailed the Scottish Premiership leaders by at least five points in October
Celtic’s starting XI vs Sturm Graz
Rodgers had fielded a blend of youth and experience in the draw with Celje just a few days before, and did the same at the Merkur Arena.
Here was the starting XI that day: Logan Bailly, Saidy Janko, Eoghan O’Connell, Jamie McCart, Emilio Izaguirre, Stefan Johansen, Nir Bitton, Ryan Christie, Scott Allan, Liam Henderson, Nadir Ciftci
Substitutes: Craig Gordon, Anthony Ralston, Erik Sviatchenko, Kristoffer Ajer, Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor, Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong, Patrick Roberts, Jamie Lindsay
Not Used: Darnell Fisher, Leo Fasan
Ryan Christie scored the winner for Celtic
In a rather dull affair, the only goal scored came in the 35th minute as Ryan Christie fired home a loose ball inside the box.
Celtic were more alive in the second-half, but the game ended in a 1-0 win as Rodgers celebrated his first victory as Hoops boss.
Just three players are still at Celtic
Only Callum McGregor, Anthony Ralston and Kieran Tierney survive from the previous Celtic encounter against Sturm Graz.
McGregor has gone from a young and energetic midfielder to Hoops captain and one of the most decorated players in the club’s history.
Ralston went on to play for Dundee United and St Johnstone on loan before establishing himself in Celtic’s first-team.
While Tierney spent three more years in a Celtic jersey until Arsenal signed him for a then record £25m.
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