The chance is alive

Lille already caused Sturm spy pain!

According to Christian Peintinger, Lille go into the clash against Sturm as slight favorites.

(Bild: AFP or licensors)

He knows Sturm and he knows Lille - Christian Peintinger is also looking forward to the first round of 16 clash in the Conference League in Graz on Thursday. Since July 2023, Monaco has been the sporting home of the Styrian, who is co-coach to Adi Hütter in the principality. This is what the former Sturm amateur coach has to say about the Ilzer team's European Cup opponents.

Christian Peintinger and his Monegasques have already experienced first-hand just how strong Lille are this season: At the end of October, Adi Hütter's squad were beaten 2-0 by their Sturm opponents. "It was a cut-throat game, Lille didn't play us down and dominated us," recalls Peintinger, scattering roses over the Northern French side. "They have a strong squad with many experienced players in their ranks. Like Nabil Bentaleb, for example, who has already played for Schalke and Tottenham. Like Ismaily, who I already know well from his time at Shakhtar Donetsk. Like Samuel Umtiti, who played for FC Barcelona for a long time," says the 56-year-old, who - like the rest of Europe - raves about 50-million-euro striker Jonathan David. "He's really good. When you score twelve times in the French league, that means something. He's almost unstoppable."

With AS Monaco since the summer: Christian Peintinger (right) with Adi Hütter.and Klaus Schmidt

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Monaco are currently just ahead in the table, with one more point than Lille in third place. Leader Paris SG is in a class of its own, but according to Peintinger, the teams behind them are all pretty much on a par. "From second to fifth place, the teams are about the same in terms of quality."

Sturm will certainly need a stellar day to get the French team out of the way. "Lille are certainly slight favorites, but Sturm have a chance. Something is always possible in two games. Sturm have a solid squad and no downward spiral. If something is possible, then it will certainly be at home," says Peintinger, who started his coaching career with Sturm's youngsters in 2005 and has now been working alongside head coach Hütter for nine years.

"Lille are certainly slight favorites, but Sturm have a chance. Something is always possible in two games. Sturm have a solid squad and no downward spiral.

Monaco-Co-Trainer Christian Peintinger

After Young Boys Bern, Eintracht Frankfurt and Gladbach, the home of the rich and beautiful is already the fourth joint station of the team, which became a red-white-red trio last summer: Styrian Klaus Schmidt completes the Ösi trio on the Côte d'Azur after leaving Altach.

Christian Peintinger started his coaching career at Sturm.

(Bild: KRONEN ZEITUNG)

Sturm are unlikely to expect a cauldron at the second leg in Lille: the Conference League has so far failed to attract the masses of fans to the stadium, which has a capacity of around 50,000 - 22,000 spectators was the highest of all emotions. The league, on the other hand, attracts much more, with 40,000 in the arena against Monaco, for example. "In terms of atmosphere, Lille is one of the best clubs in the league," says Peintinger, who lives above Monaco. Sea view included. "Life here is different, you see celebrities all the time. But I spend most of my time at the training center and only rarely in Monaco."