Sturm Graz saves itself for its fifth championship title – tension until the last minute!

Sturm Graz saves itself for its fifth championship title – tension until the last minute!

Sturm Graz successfully defended the title in an exciting 2024/25 Bundesliga season. On the last matchday, the team secured a 1-1 draw against WAC, which was enough to end the season two points ahead of Red Bull Salzburg, who beat Rapid Vienna 4-2 in the parallel game. The club is celebrating its fifth championship title, having previously been successful in 1988, 1999, 2011 and 2024. The top scorer of the season, Ronivaldo from Blau-Weiß Linz, scored 14 goals and crowned his strong performance.

Austrian Vienna managed a 2-2 draw against Blau-Weiß Linz in the penultimate game. With the results of the last games it is clear that the coming season will start with the European Cup play-offs, with LASK playing against Hartberg on Monday; the winner then meets Rapid. The new Bundesliga season begins on August 1, 2025.

Challenges for Sturm Graz

Despite winning the title, Sturm Graz had to contend with significant challenges in the past season. The sports director and the coach left the club and the top scorer was sold to Monaco. Those responsible at the club are reacting to this upheaval and have installed Jürgen Säumel and Michael Parensen as new coaching and sports director positions. Säumel inherits the legacy of the previous coach Christian Ilzer and is tasked with keeping the team stable.

Important key players such as Otar Kiteishvili, Jon Gorenc Stankovic, Gregory Wüthrich and Dimitri Lavalée contributed significantly to the team's stability. Newcomers like William Böving and Malick Yalcouyé have also contributed to the success. Nevertheless, a change in the squad is conceivable, as some key players could leave the club, while own talents such as Leon Grgic and Jacob Peter Hödl have been recommended for larger roles in the team.

The story of Sturm Graz

SK Sturm Graz, which was founded by students in 1909, looks back on a long and successful history in Austrian football. Between 1921 and 1949 the club won the regional Styrian championship 11 times. In 1998, Sturm celebrated the first Austrian Bundesliga championship with 81 points, followed by a treble win in 1999. Despite financial challenges from 2002 to 2009, the club managed to qualify for the UEFA Europa League again in 2009.

Sturm Graz is not only known for its successes, but also for its rivalry with Grazer AK in the so-called Graz Derby. This rivalry shapes Austrian football and is one of the oldest. Many exciting duels between Sturm and Grazer AK have significantly influenced the country's football history.

The Austrian Football Bundesliga, the highest division in Austrian men's football, offers SK Sturm Graz the platform to compete at an international level. The master receives a master plate and after ten titles can wear a star above the coat of arms. The league has continued to evolve since it was first held in the 1911/12 season and has undergone several name changes, allowing clubs to qualify for European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

Sturm Graz is currently the defending champion and would like to continue its success in the coming season, while at the same time continuing to push forward with the infrastructural plans for the stadium, even if the stadium situation is currently unresolved.

[oe24] reports that the 2024/25 Bundesliga season offered some exciting twists and turns. The club can hope for a promising future should it overcome its own challenges and utilize the talents of the past.