In a crucial relegation six-pointer, St Pauli will hope to distance themselves from the automatic relegation zone when they host Holstein Kiel at Millerntor-Stadion in their 12th Bundesliga game of the season on Friday.
The hosts are third last in 16th place and are in the division's relegation playoff spot with eight points having lost 2-0 against Borussia Monchengladbach last Sunday, while the visitors are 17th with five points and occupy the first of two automatic relegation spots after losing 3-0 against Mainz 05 on November 24.
Match preview
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St Pauli were thoroughly outplayed in the first half by Borussia Monchengladbach given Die Fohlen managed to produce seven shots inside the penalty area, score twice and create three big chances, though they will feel their positive second-half display was deserving of at least one goal.
Boss Alexander Blessin was critical of his players' showing in the opening stages of the match, saying: "We weren't properly awake for their first goal from the corner. After that we gave Gladbach lots of space and chances. Towards the end we had three of four chances and who knows what would have happened had we taken one of them."
Blessin's side are just two points from 15th-placed Heidenheim, and their record of 14 goals conceded is in fact better than 13 of the 17 other clubs in the top flight, including the rest of the bottom eight.
St Pauli are in poor form considering they have lost four, drawn one and won just one of their six most recent league games, failing to score four times in that period.
The hosts have also struggled at home this season, with the club having failed to achieve victory or score in any of their five fixtures at Millerntor-Stadion, succumbing to defeat on three occasions.
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Meanwhile, the visitors come into the clash having deservedly lost against Mainz, a match in which Holstein Kiel failed to create any big chances and faced 10 shots from inside the box.
Manager Marcel Rapp was despondent in the aftermath of the defeat, telling reporters: "We never got a foot in the door and had no chance. Mainz is a good team. If we don't give 100 percent, we end up with performances like today."
In the Bundesliga, Rapp's side have scored 12 goals and conceded 28 times, and these records make them the division's fourth worst offensive and second worst defensive team.
The Storks have only triumphed in two of their 13 games this season, and only once in their 11 Bundesliga outings.
Holstein Kiel's recent form is poor given the club have lost four of their last five matches while conceding 12 times and scoring just three goals.
Barring their 3-2 victory against Alemannia Aachen in the DFB-Pokal in their first game of the campaign on August 17, the visitors' record on the road has been concerning given they lost four and drew two of their subsequent six away games.
Team News
%20in%20action%20for%20Holstein%20Kiel%20on%20September%2014,%202024.jpeg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Lewis Holtby (No. 10) in action for Holstein Kiel on September 14, 2024")
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Blessin's squad has been devasted by injuries, with goalkeepers Sascha Burchert, Ben Alexander Voll and Soren Ahlers all ruled out.
Forwards Elias Saad, Conor Metcalfe, Simon Zoller and Scott Banks are also unavailable, while defenders Adam Dzwigala and Karol Mets are not scheduled to return until the middle of the next month.
To make matters worse, midfielder Robert Wagner will not make the starting XI, so expect Jackson Irvine and Carlo Boukhalfa to start in a double pivot ahead of centre-backs Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith and David Nemeth.
Johannes Eggestein is likely to start as a striker in a front three, while Nikola Vasilj is almost certain to be trusted in goal.
As for the visitors, they will be without attackers Alexander Bernhardsson and Andu Yobel Kelati, though the latter could make his comeback from injury in the next few days.
In their absence, Rapp could select Phil Harres and Steven Skrzybski as strikers at the front of a 3-5-2 formation.
Centre-backs Carl Johansson and Colin Kleine-Bekel will not appear for Holstein Kiel, and perhaps the away side will field a back three featuring Marco Ivezic, Patrick Erras and Max Geschwill.
St Pauli possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Nemeth; Saliakas, Irvine, Boukhalfa, Treu; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui
Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:
Weiner; Ivezic, Erras, Geschwill; Becker, Holtby, Knudsen, Remberg, Puchacz; Harres, Skrzybski
We say: St Pauli 0-0 Holstein Kiel
Neither side will want to overcommit, and this could lead to a stale and timid encounter on Friday despite the importance of the match.
Additionally, St Pauli have struggled for goals while Holstein Kiel have been poor away from home, and it would not be surprising if the points were shared.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
