Grazer vs Red Bull Salzburg Prediction 02.08.2024

• Competition: Austrian Bundesliga - 1. Matchday
• Date: Friday, 2nd, August 2024
• Kickoff: 19:30 UK / 20.30 CEST
• Venue: Merkur-Arena (Graz)

In their quest to swiftly bring the league trophy back to their cabinet, RB Salzburg begins their Bundesliga season on Friday, facing newly promoted Grazer at the Merkur-Arena.

Grazer's long 14-year wait for a return to the top division finally ended after they were crowned champions of the 2. Liga last year, earning promotion with a few rounds to spare before the curtain fell. The summer preparations for the Austrian Bundesliga newcomers went very well, winning four out of five friendlies, but the first official match of the new 2024-25 season was not memorable, as they had to come back from a two-goal deficit to force extra time before eventually seeing off the fourth-division side ATUS Velden on penalties in the first round of the domestic cup.

The newly-promoted Grazer will face a baptism of fire in their first top-flight assignment as they host the powerhouse RB Salzburg, who will be desperately eager to reclaim the crown after it was stripped from they by Sturm Graz last season. In what has been one of the most thrilling title chases in Austrian football this century, Die Roten Bullen had to relinquish their decade-long dominance, ending up in second place, two points adrift of the ultimate champions, Sturm.

Grazer vs Red Bull Salzburg Betting Tips: OVER 2.5

After completing their preparation tasks perfectly—claiming four wins from five warm-up matches, including a four-goal stalemate with Sparta Prague in mid-July—RB Salzburg couldn’t have started their 2024-25 campaign more emphatically, registering a resounding 6-0 victory over Dornbirn to smoothly advance to the next round of the OFB Cup. The Graz newcomers will undoubtedly feel a degree of apprehension, as they have experienced a situation similar to Dornbirn’s when they last faced the fierce Bulls, suffering a brutal six-goal thrashing in the national cup five years ago in 2019. 

Despite Die roten Teufel raising their level of play in recent years, this contest is expected to be a one-way affair for Salzburg, especially since they have been ruthless in front of goal, hitting the net a staggering 18 times in their last three competitive fixtures. Even with their strong attacking prowess, Die Roten Bullen were often unreliable at the back, and this mix frequently made their matches attractive and rich in goals. The departure of Strahinja Pavlovic, who was a defensive pillar for the Austrian giants, will certainly be felt on Friday, but the Bulls should fill that void with another free-scoring display, so an exhilarating Salzburg win to kick off the season is on the cards.