"We need to be prepared for that" - Ole Werner ahead of #FCSPRBL

In partnership with

RB Leipzig

·26. Januar 2026

"We need to be prepared for that" - Ole Werner ahead of #FCSPRBL

RB Leipzig will be in action against FC St. Pauli on Tuesday evening, in a rearranged matchday 16 fixture. The match was initially set to take place on 10th January, but had to be moved due to inclement weather. Kick-off at the Millerntor-Stadion will be at 20:30 CET.

Ahead of the game, head coach Ole Werner spoke about the opponent's qualities and which players are unavailable.

OneFootball Videos

Latest squad news:

Castello Lukeba is still unavailable and will miss the trip to FC St. Pauli on Tuesday night, due to having suffered a knee injury.
Johan Bakayoko is returning to team training, but isn't an option yet for tomorrow's match.
Assan Ouédraogo and Viggo Gebel remain unavailable.

Full squad update

The opponent's qualities

"After a strong start to the season, followed by a period in which they didn't pick up many points, they have recently been able to regain some defensive stability. They have returned to the compact shape that made them so strong last year, especially out of possession. We will need to be prepared for that, to come up against a side that are very, very good at defending, with a solid structure and who are also dangerous in transition. They have a lot of pace at their disposal and are capable of playing strong passes, because they have several good footballers in their ranks."

The atmosphere at the Millerntor

"It's a special atmosphere. The stadium isn't massive, but the fans are very loud and always provide their team with positive support. I don't think you have to do anything specific to prepare a team for it, though. It doesn't change the game in a manner where you need to specifically address it beforehand or anything. St. Pauli wouldn't be what it is without the surrounding neighbourhood and the stadium. It's always fun getting to play there and I mainly have positive memories from my games at the Millerntor."

The fight for European football

"I think we're strong contenders. We're currently averaging nearly two points per game, a tally that will only increase if we beat St. Pauli. There are six, seven sides that are all battling it out in a close race so far - including us. In the end, it's always about remaining focused on yourself and on continuing the team's development. I think those teams that manage to do just that, will be the ones that end up finishing in the spot that they want to be in. Our goal this season is clear: to qualify for Europe. I think we're on track for that right now and we obviously don't want to set any limitations for ourselves. If we end up finishing within the top four, then that would be even better."

Benny Henrichs' comeback

"First and foremost, we're happy that he's back available. He was able to play his first game in Heidenheim and as a team, it only makes us stronger to now have a player of his quality back and available for selection.Of course, he now needs to regain some match practice. We'll see how long it takes for that to happen, but I'm confident that he will be able to see more playing time soon."