Dortmund needs a win against Pauli in Bundesliga round 7 to stay in the race for the top spots.
Time & Venue
- Time: 18:30, October 18th
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park
Form
Borussia Dortmund had a strong start to the 2024 season under new coach Nuri Sahin, winning 4 of their first 5 matches. However, their recent form has dipped, especially after a heavy 1-5 defeat to Stuttgart on September 22. Although they bounced back with two consecutive wins, including a resounding 7-1 victory over Celtic in the Champions League, they faced another setback with a loss to Union Berlin in their most recent match.
Coach Sahin expressed disappointment in Dortmund’s first-half performance against Union Berlin, criticizing the team for allowing the opposition to dominate and making defensive errors. As a result, Dortmund has only won 2 of their last 5 Bundesliga matches, drawing 1 and losing 2, conceding 11 goals while scoring 10.
Despite some inconsistent form, Dortmund remains strong at home, winning 8 of their last 9 matches at Signal Iduna Park, scoring 32 goals and conceding only 9. They are currently 7th in the Bundesliga standings.
Meanwhile, St. Pauli comes into this match in a dangerous position, level on points with Hoffenheim, who occupy the playoff spot to avoid relegation. St. Pauli recently suffered a 0-3 loss to Mainz, a match in which they created many chances (19 shots) but lacked sharpness in front of goal and conceded easily against Mainz’s moderate attack.
Coach Alexander Blessin may have thought his team was finding form after a 0-0 draw with RB Leipzig and a 3-0 win over Freiburg. However, the loss to Mainz marked their 4th defeat of the season, alongside concerns about their attacking efficiency, as they have only scored 4 goals so far—the fewest among the 18 Bundesliga teams.
St. Pauli had a disappointing start to the season, losing all 3 of their opening matches, scoring only 1 goal in a 1-3 loss to Augsburg. Their away form has also been poor, losing 2 of their 3 away games this season, and they had a dismal away record last season, losing 11 of 17 matches.
This upcoming match will be a significant challenge for St. Pauli, as they face a Dortmund team regaining their form and boasting a strong home record.
Squads
- Dortmund: They will be without Yan Couto, Julien Duranville, and Giovanni Reyna until early November, while forward Karim Adeyemi won’t return until late November.
Sahin also has doubts over defender Niklas Sule and striker Maximilian Beier. Waldemar Anton may partner with Nico Schlotterbeck in defense, while Pascal Gross and Marcel Sabitzer could play as holding midfielders. - St. Pauli: Several players are out injured, including goalkeepers Soren Ahlers, Sascha Burchert, and Ben Alexander Voll.
Wingers Elias Saad and forward Simon Zoller are also expected to miss out, and Coach Blessin might call upon Vasilj Oladapo Afolayan, Johannes Eggestein, and Morgan Guilavogui in a three-man attack.
In other positions, Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith, and Karol Mets could form a three-man defense, with Jackson Irvine and Robert Wagner as holding midfielders.
Expected Lineups
Statistics
- Borussia Dortmund has scored 12 goals in 6 Bundesliga matches this season.
- Dortmund has won 3 and lost 2 in their last 6 Bundesliga matches.
- FC St. Pauli has conceded 9 goals in 6 Bundesliga matches this season.
Tỷ lệ ghi bàn & thủng lưới (ảnh nhà cái)
Prediction
Dortmund currently has the best home record in the league with 3 consecutive home wins. All in all, any result other than a comfortable home win for Dortmund would be a major surprise.
Score Prediction (via Whoscored): Borussia Dortmund 3-1 St. Pauli