Prediction Celtic vs Sturm Graz 2025/2026 season – Betting Tips for the Europa League on 23/10/2025

Match outlook: Celtic look to steady the ship at Celtic Park

The third group-stage outing in this Europa League season brings Celtic back to Celtic Park on 23 October with a real chance to recover momentum. The Scottish giants arrive with just a single point from two group games, having found the net only once while shipping three. Recent domestic form has been mixed: a stinging 2-0 reverse at Dundee most recently contrasts with a 3-2 win over Motherwell and a 0-0 stalemate with Hibernian. Those results underline a side that can create chances but remains erratic in front of goal and vulnerable at the back in certain moments. The stadium will be packed—Celtic Park holds over 60,000—and that home atmosphere could prove decisive as they chase European consistency.

Sturm Graz arrive on a high — can they make it pay away from home?

Sturm Graz turn up in Glasgow following a purple patch of results. Their recent run reads like a team in confident mood: an eye-catching 4-3 victory away to Blau-Weiß Linz and a string of domestic wins show an attack that can find the net repeatedly. The shot data supplied highlights Sturm’s teeth in the final third — 27 total shots with 12 on target in the sample provided — figures that suggest sustained offensive intent. Their group position is healthier than Celtic’s after two matches, sitting on three points. Yet the away numbers in the European context temper the optimism: while Sturm have been prolific at times, their goals-scored-away tally in the group data is recorded as zero, indicating that translating domestic momentum into away European success is not guaranteed.

Tactical balance and key indicators

This contest shapes up as a clash between the weight of expectation and the momentum of form. Celtic’s attacking metrics show decent activity — 17 total shots and nine on target in the snapshot available — but the low goals return at home in the European sample raises questions about finishing. Sturm’s greater shot volume and higher shots-on-target ratio paint them as the more threatening side from open play, and their recent 4-3 win underscores a willingness to commit forward. Historic head-to-heads are scarce and dated; the only listed meeting was a 2016 friendly where Sturm grabbed a 1-0 win, a reminder that surprises are part of this fixture’s small history.

Final verdict and betting suggestion

Bookmakers make Celtic clear favorites here, and there are solid reasons to side with the home team: stadium, crowd, and a pressing need to pick up points in the group. Sturm Graz bring form and goal threat, so the match is unlikely to be a one-sided stroll, but the data supports backing Celtic to take three points on home soil.

Betting suggestion: 1X2 — Back Celtic to win (Home) at odds around 1.51. Stake cautiously to reflect Celtic’s inconsistency in recent results and Sturm’s dangerous attacking numbers.