PREVIEW | St. Pauli vs Hamburg | OneFootball

Matchday 19 in the Bundesliga kicks off with a bang on Friday night as St. Pauli host Hamburg in what will be the 113th Hamburger Stadtderby.

The meeting between the great rivals is not only significant in terms of bragging rights for the people of the Hanseatic City, but is also hugely significant in the Bundesliga relegation battle. St. Pauli sit rock bottom, five points behind their visitors who lie in 14th place.

St. Pauli head coach Alexander Blessin is desperate for a win, with the Kiezkicker currently winless in their last 14 Bundesliga matches – a run stretching all the way back to mid-September. With that being said, HSV are yet to taste victory away from the Volksparkstadion since their return to Germany’s topflight, a fact that Blessin wants to take full advantage of. Speaking to Hamburger Abendblatt, Blessin did not mince his words: “With all due respect, I’d rather play against HSV on Friday than against any other team.”

HSV fan-turned head coach Merlin Polzin was not drawn into the mind games during his Wednesday press conference, stating: “We don’t want to talk, we want to deliver. That is the clear message to the team and our conviction.”

Confident words from Blessin, who will be thinking back to the first meeting between the two sides this season. That night, St. Pauli gave HSV a harsh reality check by coming away comfortable 2-0 winners in the cauldron that was the Volksparkstadion. It is worth noting however that the HSV team of that night was far from complete. In the days that followed, Die Rothosen signed Luka Vušković, Fábio Vieira, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, all three of whom have become key players for Merlin Polzin’s side since.

In terms of team news, Daniel Sinani and Jackson Irvine look as though they are fit enough to make the bench at least for the hosts, while Andréas Hountondji and Connor Metcalfe will remain sidelined. Meanwhile, Polzin will be able to call upon Lokonga after the midfielder had to sit out last weekend’s draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Vice-captain Nicolas Capaldo will also be available after leaving the pitch in discomfort against Die Fohlen. Yussuf Poulsen and Fabio Baldé continue their rehab from respective injuries.

Predicted St. Pauli and Hamburg Lineups

St. Pauli: Nikola Vasilj (GK), Adam Dźwigała, Hauke Wahl, Karol Metz, Arkadiusz Pyrka, James Sands, Eric Smith, Lars Ritzka, Joel Chima Fujita, Ricky Jade-Jones, Mathias Pereira Lage

Hamburg: Daniel Heuer Fernandes (GK), Nicolas Capaldo, Luka Vušković, Jordan Torunarigha, Bakary Jatta, Nicolai Remberg, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fábio Vieira, Damion Downs, Jean-Luc Dompé 

GGFN | Harry Good