Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

St Paulivs.Wolfsburg

sportsmole.co.uk, 24 October 2024, 07:38
Both struggling at the wrong end of the Bundesliga standings, St Pauli and Wolfsburg will meet at Millerntor-Stadion on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts still await their first win and first goal on home turf this season, while Die Wolfe have been scoring freely but cannot keep the back door shut.

Match preview

Since returning to Germany's top flight in the summer, St Pauli have claimed just one point from three home games, and their overall record of five defeats from the first seven has set an unwanted club record in the Bundesliga.

Following last week's loss to Borussia Dortmund - in which Eric Smith seemed to have rescued a point by scoring in the 78th minute, before BVB struck again - the Kiezkicker occupy 16th place in the table, three points adrift of safety.

Back-to-back defeats either side of the international break have halted their momentum, having previously earned all of their four points in a two-game spell.

St Pauli now return to Hamburg, facing the prospect of going nine Bundesliga home games without victory - albeit the first few came several years ago - and that would set another negative club record.

Indeed, Alexander Blessin's beleaguered side have yet to even score at Millerntor-Stadion this term, so they may want to draw inspiration from past meetings with Wolfsburg: St Pauli have lost just one of 14 encounters in the top two divisions and are unbeaten in four Bundesliga contests.

Like their hosts, Wolfsburg face a tough DFB-Pokal tie early next week - they must meet Dortmund, while St Pauli tackle RB Leipzig - but their priority will be claiming victory in Hamburg.

Despite going 1-0 up last time out, Die Wolfe were beaten 4-2 by Werder Bremen, conceding three times in a decisive 20-minute spell midway through the second half, meaning they have now dropped a league-high 11 points from winning positions.

A damning disciplinary record has certainly not helped, as after Patrick Wimmer was sent off against Bremen, Wolfsburg have been shown the most yellow cards (23) and the joint-most red cards in the Bundesliga so far - and they will have two key players suspended this weekend.

Having slipped down to 13th place, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side can now be caught by St Pauli if they lose on Saturday, when they will hope to stem the tide of goals they are conceding: 16 goals against is Wolfsburg's worst record at this stage of a top-flight campaign.

However, Die Wolfe have also scored themselves in all of their last eight league fixtures, stretching back to last season, and a tally of 15 goals after seven matchdays equals a club record dating back to 2009, when they were reigning German champions.

St Pauli Bundesliga form:

L

L

D

W

L

L

Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:

W

L

L

D

W

L

Team News

Wolfsburg will be hampered by a long absence list this week, with several players sidelined by injury being joined by Maximilian Arnold and Patrick Wimmer, who are both suspended.

Since Wimmer signed for the club, Die Wolfe have produced only 0.9 points per Bundesliga game without him, scoring an average of one goal per game; they average 1.4 points and 1.8 goals per game with the Austrian winger in the squad.

Bartosz Bialek (knee), Lovro Majer (ankle), Lukas Nmecha (groin), Kevin Paredes (foot), Rogerio (knee), Mattias Svanberg (ankle) and Belgium midfielder Aster Vranckx (thigh) are all occupying an overcrowded treatment room, meaning Ralph Hasenhuttl must field a makeshift XI.

Meanwhile, St Pauli are still missing a trio of goalkeepers: Soren Ahlers, Sascha Burchert and Ben Alexander Voll, the latter of whom is on the road to recovery from a broken jaw. Bosnia international Nikola Vasilj will start between the posts.

Connor Metcalfe and forwards Elias Saad and Simon Zoller are also unavailable due to injury.

Once again, captain Jackson Irvine should join Robert Wagner in the hosts' engine room, while Johannes Eggestein leads the line up front.

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Mets; Saliakas, Wagner, Irvine, Treu; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:

Grabara; Vavro, Bornauw, Koulierakis; Baku, Gerhardt, Ozcan, Kaminski; Wind; Tomas, Amoura

We say: St Pauli 1-2 Wolfsburg

Six of Wolfsburg's seven points have come away from home this season, and they are also one of only four teams to score in every game so far.

Previews by email

Top News

1 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi has ruled out a future career in coaching as he admitted he is unsure whether he will play in the 2026 World Cup. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly knocked back several offers from interested clubs for teenage starlet Claudio Echeverri. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk French off the back of reaching the Taca da Liga semi-finals, Benfica return to action in the Primeira Liga when they visit the Estadio de Sao Luis to face SC Farense on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid are reportedly ready to part ways with Aurelien Tchouameni and could offer the midfielder as part of a deal to sign Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Gil Vicente will be looking to make it five straight games without defeat on home turf this season when they play host to Boavista in round 10 of the Primeira Liga on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are one of five European giants who have been alerted by Jamal Musiala's contract situation at Bayern Munich. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Vincent Kompany will be hoping that his Bayern Munich side can maintain their unbeaten record in the Bundesliga on Saturday when they host Union Berlin at the Allianz Arena. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt are set to host VfL Bochum on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in the Bundesliga. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nuri Sahin's side are in desperate need of a win, but they face a difficult task on Saturday given they welcome RB Leipzig to Signal Iduna Park in their ninth Bundesliga match of the season. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In their ninth Bundesliga game of the season, relegation threatened Wolfsburg are set to host Augsburg on Saturday at Volkswagen Arena. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who have turned a corner of late go head to head in round 11 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Fortuna Sittard welcome Heerenveen to the Fortuna Sittard Stadion on Sunday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest will endeavour to win their third consecutive Premier League game when they welcome West Ham United to the City Ground on Saturday afternoon. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In one of two high-profile matches round 11 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season has to offer, Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar will do battle at De Kuip on Saturday evening. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both gunning for promotion in their respective divisions, Walsall and Bolton Wanderers will turn their attentions to the FA Cup as they meet for a first-round tie at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have received a major injury boost regarding Manuel Akanji, according to a report. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk La Liga giants Barcelona are monitoring the situation of Rafael Leao at AC Milan, according to a report. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany believes that Bournemouth 'should not abandon their principles' in Saturday's clash with the Premier League champions at the Vitality Stadium. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Holstein Kiel and Heidenheim meet at Holstein-Stadion in Saturday's gameweek nine match in a battle between a host in their first Bundesliga season and an opponent in their second-ever top-flight year. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United interim head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has said that the Red Devils "can and have to perform better", as he prepares the team for Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruud van Nistelrooy has said that he is expecting to remain at Manchester United as an assistant manager once the club have finalised a deal for Erik ten Hag's long-term replacement. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to make it back-to-back wins in pursuit of the top six in the Championship table, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford will meet at Hillsborough on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to bounce back to winning ways in their fights at opposite ends of the Championship table, Leeds United and Plymouth Argyle will square off at Elland Road on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Securing consecutive wins for the first time since September will be the major objective for Heracles as they entertain the challenge of NAC Breda at the Asito Stadium on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly started to consider other options in the transfer market at left-back, due to the predicted wage demands of Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City manager Steve Cooper is expected to recall several of his first-team stars for Saturday's Premier League clash with Ipswich Town at Portman Road. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town could be without as many as 10 players for Saturday's Premier League clash with Leicester City at Portman Road. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Separated by just three points in the top six of the Championship table, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United will meet in an important contest at Ewood Park on Saturday. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Last season's top two in the Championship lock horns at Portman Road for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon when Ipswich Town play host to Leicester City. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In their first MLS playoff contest at Citi Field since 2022, New York City FC host FC Cincinnati needing a win on Saturday to stay alive in the quest for the cup. 31 October 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The Premier League have released the shortlist for October's Player of the Month award, with players from clubs up and down the table and all over the pitch included.