Borussia Dortmund will aim to make it consecutive wins in the Bundesliga when they host relegation-threatened St. Pauli at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
St. Pauli will hit the road to square up against Borussia Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. The visitors will be eyeing their fourth league win of the season, which could help them climb out of the drop zone.
The home team are second on the table with 36 points in their 17 league outings. While Borussia Dortmund have only suffered one league defeat this term, the fact that they have played out six draws has helped Bayern Munich establish a significant lead (9 points) at the top of the table.
The team in black and yellow have been unbeaten in their last six matches across competitions, and they are heading into this one on the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Werder Bremen. They will certainly be confident about getting the job done against St. Pauli.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 17th on the table with just 12 points in their 16 outings. They have already suffered ten league defeats, and things do not really look that promising for them. While St. Pauli were on a three-match unbeaten run, it came to an end against Wolfsburg last time out.
Since they are level on points with 16th-placed FSV Mainz and have a game in hand, this is a great opportunity to jump out of the drop zone. However, taking down one of the German giants is never really an easy task. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
Nicko Kovac does not have any fresh injury concerns to worry about. Aaron Anselmino (muscle injury) is the only players who remains on the sidelines.
The home team will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Gregor Kobel will take charge in goal. Niklas Sule will start alongside Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck in the heart of the defence. The back three will receive significant support from Yan Couto and Julian Ryerson, who will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Marcel Sabitzer will partner with Felix Nmecha in the centre of the park. The Borussia Dortmund midfield duo will look to ensure they dominate the proceedings. Maximilian Beier and Julian Brandt will take charge as the two attacking midfielders behind Serhou Guirassy, who should return to the starting XI for this fixture.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Kobel; Sule, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Couto, Sabitzer, Nmecha, Ryerson; Beier, Brandt; Guirassy
FC St.Pauli
The visitors will be without quite a few of their first-team stars. Jackson Irvine (foot), Danel Sinani (calf), David Nemeth (groin), Andreas Hountondji (ankle), and Simon Spari (ligament) are all out injured, while Connor Metcalfe and Ricky-Jade Jones are both major doubts for this outing.
St. Pauli will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Nikola Vasilj will start in goal. The back three will be made up of Adam Dzwigala, Hauke Wahl, and Karol Mets. They will receive significant support in the wide areas by Arkadiusz Pyrka and Louis Oppie, who will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Joel Chima Fujita will start alongside James Sands and Eric Smith in the centre of the park. With Borussia Dortmund likely to dominate the ball, the trio will try to ensure they do not enjoy too much easy possession in their half. Finally, Abdoulie Ceesay will partner with Mathias Pereira Lage in the final third.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Vasilj; Dzwigala, Wahl, Mets; Pyrka, Fujita, Sands, Smith, Oppie; Ceesay, Lage
Key Stats
- The two teams last met at the start of the 2025/26 season, and it produced an exciting 3-3 draw.
- Borussia Dortmund have not lost any of their last 10 league outings.
- St. Pauli have not defeated Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga since 1989.
- Niko Kovac’s team are on a six-match unbeaten run across competitions.
- Borussia Dortmund’s tally of 36 points at this stage is the best they have had in the last seven years, and they have 11 more points than they did last season.
Player to Watch
Serhou Guirassy
The 29-year-old striker has only gone from strength to strength since joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2024. Guirassy enjoyed an exceptional debut campaign as he finished with 38 goals and nine assists in his 50 outings across competitions.
Guirassy was certainly the standout performer for Borussia Dortmund last season, and he has carried that form into the new campaign. The Guinean international has ten goals and four assists in his 25 outings. After a run of seven league games without a goal, he finally found the back of the net last time out and will be eager to build on it.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 St. Pauli
Borussia Dortmund head into this fixture as clear favourites, buoyed by their strong league form and a commanding win last time out. With the Signal Iduna Park faithful behind them, Niko Kovac’s side should look to dominate possession and pin St. Pauli back, with Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier expected to play key roles between the lines.
St. Pauli, meanwhile, are likely to adopt a compact and disciplined approach, aiming to frustrate the hosts and exploit any spaces on the counter. While their motivation to climb out of the relegation zone could make them competitive in spells, the gulf in quality and depth is hard to ignore.
If Borussia Dortmund maintain their intensity and avoid complacency, they should have enough firepower to secure another important three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.
