St. Pauli vs. Borussia Dortmund: DFB Cup probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Pauli are aiming to make such encounters a more regular occurrence as they push for promotion back to the top flight. The Hamburg club currently lead the way in Bundesliga 2 after 19 matchdays, with Burgstaller the division's joint best scorer on 14 goals. Die Kiezkicker have held first place since October as they seek to return to the Bundesliga for the first time since 2011 but are winless in three, including snatching a point at home to Erzgebirge Aue on Saturday. You have to go back even further for the last time Pauli appeared at this stage of the DFB Cup, having been knocked out in the first or second round every year since they stormed to the semi-finals in 2005/06. Although former Schalke man Burgstaller will be the main threat, having also scored twice in the 3-2 first-round win over Magdeburg, coach Timo Schultz has to do without the second division's top provider Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, who is away representing Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations. Pauli also got a 3-2 win in the second round, but needed extra-time to get past Dynamo Dresden.

Haaland is one goal better off in the league than Burgstaller with 15 strikes to his name from only 13 appearances. That includes a brace in Friday's 5-1 victory over Freiburg, which also saw two rare goals from right-back Thomas Meunier. The Belgian took a knock in that game and may sit out this cup tie. Thorgan Hazard came off the bench to score both goals as Dortmund progressed to this stage with a 2-0 win at home to Ingolstadt and he will be hoping for a start in this round. As too will Marwin Hitz, with the goalkeeper getting to feature in both DFB Cup games so far for the holders. Gio Reyna hasn't featured at all since August because of a muscular injury, but the USA international could finally be given a runout at the Millerntor after a few weeks back in training. Captain Marco Reus and Jude Bellingham should complete the firepower for a BVB side who have either been knocked out at this stage or gone on to reach the final in the last eight seasons.

Match stats

These two sides have met once before in the cup, back in the 2014/15 season's second round when Dortmund ran out 3-0 winners. BVB eventually went on to lose the final 3-1 to Wolfsburg that year.

Pauli last beat Dortmund on 30 November 1989 in the Bundesliga. They have two top-flight wins from 16 previous meetings, with Dortmund winning 11 and the two teams sharing three draws.

While defending champions Dortmund have five DFB Cup trophies, St. Pauli have never won the competition. The furthest they have reached is the 2005/06 semi-finals, when they were beaten 3-0 by Bayern Munich.

Haaland has scored seven goals in six DFB Cup matches since joining Dortmund, including all three in the 3-0 first-round win over Wehen Wiesbaden and two in last year's final.

Youssoufa Moukoko started his youth career at St. Pauli and scored 23 goals in just 13 games for Die Kiezkicker's age group teams.

Dortmund have won their last eight DFB Cup matches and haven't lost in the competition since the 3-2 defeat to Werder Bremen in the 2019/20 round of 16.

Probable line-ups

Pauli: Smarsch - Zander, Ziereis (c), Medic, Paqarada - Irvine, Aremu, Hartel - Buchtmann - Dittgen, Burgstaller

Out: Avevor (ankle), Kyereh (Africa Cup of Nations), Wieckhoff (knee)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Timo Schultz

Dortmund: Hitz - Wolf, Akanji, Pongracic, Schulz - Bellingham, Witsel - Brandt, Reus (c), Hazard - Haaland

Out: Can (hip), Morey (knee), Schmelzer (knee), Unbehaun (hand)

Doubtful: Meunier (knock), Reyna (match fitness)

Coach: Marco Rose