UEFA Champions League Play-Off: All You Need to Know

Stade Brestois 29 and SK Sturm Graz Set for Play-Off Clash

French Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois 29 will face Austrian Football Bundesliga outfit SK Sturm Graz in the UEFA Champions League play-off round. The first leg is scheduled to be played in Brest on August 17, with the second leg set for Graz on August 24.

A Look at the Teams

Stade Brestois 29 finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season, securing a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League. However, they were promoted to the Champions League play-offs after finishing as runners-up in the Coupe de France.

SK Sturm Graz, meanwhile, won their first Austrian Bundesliga title since 2011 last season. They will be making their first appearance in the Champions League group stage since 2000.

Key Players to Watch

Stade Brestois 29 will be relying on the attacking prowess of Steve Mounié, who scored 12 goals in Ligue 1 last season. They will also look to Romain Faivre, who provided 10 assists and has been linked with a move to AC Milan.

SK Sturm Graz's key players include Jakob Jantscher, a 38-year-old winger who has been capped over 50 times by Austria, and Manprit Sarkaria, a German midfielder who was signed from Hannover 96 in the summer.

Match Preview

The first leg of the tie will be played at Stade Brestois 29's home ground, the Stade Francis-Le Blé. The French side will be hoping to take an advantage into the second leg, but SK Sturm Graz will be no pushovers.

The second leg will be played at SK Sturm Graz's home ground, the Merkur Arena. The Austrian side will be looking to make the most of their home advantage and reach the Champions League group stage for the first time in 22 years.