Sturm Graz Faces Uphill Battle After europa league Defeat to Red Star Belgrade
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A disappointing result in the UEFA Europa league has left Austrian champions SK Sturm Graz with a significant challenge to secure a play-off berth. The Styrians suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Serbian powerhouse Red Star Belgrade on Thursday, December 12, 2025, a setback compounded by the presence of Austrian national team record holder Marko Arnautović on the opposing side.
The loss marks the first international defeat of the season for Sturm Graz in front of their home supporters at Liebenau.The team now faces a demanding task in their remaining two match days to qualify for the next stage of the competition.
Säumel Reflects on Bitter Defeat
Head coach Jürgen Säumel expressed his disappointment with the outcome, stating, “The result is disappointing, we really wanted to take something away.” Despite acknowledging the team’s recent busy schedule, Säumel believed the performance was commendable, but ultimately undone by crucial missed opportunities. “Little things decide. At this level you have to take the chances, we didn’t manage to do that,” he explained. He further lamented a lapse in concentration during a set-piece, which proved decisive, and suggested the team was denied a clear penalty.
Säumel also addressed ongoing concerns regarding personnel, stating, “I’ve addressed those things. Despite all the criticism, I would like to state that, for me it’s all about the Sturm Graz club. We have a few things that we have to address. We want to give it our all again against Austria.”
Club Leadership to Discuss Future Direction
Michael Parsen, the sports director of SK Sturm Graz, indicated that the club will be evaluating the future relationship with Säumel. “We want to discuss how this will work,” Parsen stated,emphasizing that any adjustments will be discussed internally,not publicly. He added that the winter break will provide an opportunity to thoroughly assess the squad and individual positions.
Regarding the possibility of continued collaboration, Parsen noted, “We’ll see about that. It certainly makes sense for the coach and the sports director to look in the same direction,there’s no question about that. We’ll discuss that when we can talk behind closed doors next week.”
Christensen points to Concentration Lapses
Goalkeeper Oliver Christensen identified a lack of focus as a key factor in the defeat. “It was a bitter defeat. Two or three lapses in concentration were enough today,” he said. He acknowledged Red Star Belgrade’s efficiency in capitalizing on their chances, contrasting it with Sturm Graz’s inability to convert their own opportunities. “They took advantage of their chances in an ice-cold manner, while we regrettably weren’t concrete enough in front of the goal.”
Arnautović Returns to the Spotlight
A social media post highlighted the return of Marko Arnautović to the pitch.
https://twitter.com/ligaportal_at/status/ziocApSmW1
The image accompanying the post shows Arnautović after the match.
The defeat leaves Sturm Graz facing an uphill battle for progression in the Europa League, with crucial decisions looming regarding the club’s leadership and future strategy. The coming weeks will be pivotal as they strive to salvage their european campaign.
Statement source: sky Sport Austria, SK Sturm graz and Antonio Perner/Ligaportal
Photo credit: RiPu-Sportfotos
