FC St. Pauli vs. TSG Hoffenheim: DFB-Pokal preview, team news & predicted lineups | OneFootball

TSG Hoffenheim were victorious when these two teams played each other in the Bundesliga earlier this month. The hosts are in a five-game losing streak after Saturday’s defeat in Frankfurt.

FC St. Pauli

And they only found the net once in this difficult spell. That was a big contrast to how Alexander Blessin’s side started their campaign. St. Pauli scored nine goals and collected seven points in the first three matchdays.

However, last season’s struggles in front of goals are now roaring back at the club. Mathias Pereira Lage’s start to life in the Bundesliga is a perfect testament to their current situation.

The 28-year-old is an all-action winger, but he squandered plenty of opportunities as he’s still looking for a maiden goal. St. Pauli also ended their first round tie at fourth-tier Eintracht Norderstedt goalless before a penalty shootout victory.

Team News

The big news for St. Pauli is the return of their captain. Australian international Jackson Irvine played his first game of the season in the weekend, but it might still be too early to include him in the starting lineup.

TSG Hoffenheim

Andrej Kramaric added St. Pauli to his collection on matchday 7 before scoring once again against Heidenheim. The Croat striker’s consistency is admirable, but Fisnik Asllani and Bazoumana Touré are now the headline makers in Hoffenheim.

Asllani is now on five Bundesliga goals, and he also showed his scoring exploits for Kosovo by scoring the goal that beat star-studded Sweden in the World Cup qualifiers. The sought-after striker also scored and assisted in Hoffenheim's first round Pokal win in Rostock.

Touré scored his first goal for the club away at Millerntor-Stadion in the 3-0 win. The Ivory Coast international followed that up with a couple of assists against Heidenheim as Hoffenheim climbed into the top seven in the Bundesliga.

Team News

Christian Ilzer is delighted by his team’s excellent form in recent weeks, but there could be some changes to the side for the cup fixture. Apart from the long-term absentees, there are no new injuries in Hoffenheim’s squad.

Predicted Lineups

St. Pauli: Voll; Wahl, Smith ©, Mets; Pyrka, Sands, Fujita, Oppie; Sinani; Kaars, Pereira Lage

Hoffenheim: Baumann ©; Coufal, Hranac, Hajdari, Bernardo; Avdullahu, Burger; Kramaric, Touré; Lemperle, Asllani