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Real Madrid Femenino will square off against Sturm Graz at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in their opening fixture of the UEFA Women's Champions League 2022-23 campaign on Thursday.
The home team made it to the quarter-finals last season, with arch-rivals and eventual finalists Barcelona inflicting an 8-3 defeat on them on aggregate. Sturm Graz have not qualified for the group stage of the competition since the 2016-17 campaign. Sturm Graz did not make it through the qualifying phase of the 2017-18 and 2019-20 campaigns.
The hosts finished third in the Primera Division last season while SK Sturm finished second in Frauenliga to book their place in this fixture.
Real Madrid Femenino vs Sturm Graz Head-to-Head
This will be the first meeting between the two sides across all competitions. Real Madrid Femenino began their journey as Club Deportivo TACÓN in 2014. They were merged with Real Madrid in 2020 and were only able to qualify for the Women's Champions League for the first time last season.
Real Madrid Femenino form guide (all competitions): N/A
Sturm Graz form guide (all competitions): N/A
Real Madrid Femenino vs Sturm Graz Team News
Real Madrid Femenino
There are no reported absentees on account of injuries for Las Blancas. Marta Corredera remains unavailable as she is expecting a baby and remains on maternal leave.
New signings Kathellen Sousa Feitoza and Sandie Toletti have also been included in the squad and are in contention to make their debut for the club.
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
Unavailable: Marta Corredera.
Sturm Graz
The visiting Austrian side have no reported absentees for this game. They will need to produce a solid display against the Spanish side, who have strengthened their squad during the off-season.
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
Unavailable: None.
Real Madrid Femenino vs Sturm Graz Predicted XIs
Real Madrid Femenino (4-4-2): Misa Rodríguez (GK); Kenti Robles, Rocío Gálvez, Ivana Andrés, Kathellen Sousa Feitoza; Teresa Abelleira, Sandie Toletti, Caroline Weir, Marina Salas; Nahikari García, Esther González.
Sturm Graz (4-3-3): Vanessa Gritzner (GK); Julia Magerl, Michela Croatto, Katharina Weiss, Merle Luise Kirschstein; Anna Malle, Gina Steiner, Julia Keutz; Lilli Purtscheller, Andrea Glibo, Laura Krumböck.
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Real Madrid Femenino vs Sturm Graz Prediction
Real Madrid Femenino have a better European record than the visitors and will also have home advantage here. While there's no history between the two sides, the home team should be able to secure an easy win here.
Prediction: Real Madrid Femenino 2-0 Sturm Graz
