Preview: Bournemouth vs St Pauli - prediction, team news, lineups

With their pre-season preparations set to begin, Bournemouth will hope their clash with St Pauli at 1508 SaalfeldenArena in Austria on Friday will prove productive.

The Cherries are yet to begin their pre-season schedule ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season, but a test against 2. Bundesliga opponents St Pauli could be the perfect introduction for new boss Marco Rose.

Match preview

Bournemouth will embark upon their first ever European campaign next term after finishing sixth in the Premier League with 57 points, their best ever return in the division.

However, the club are going through a relative period of uncertainty having lost head coach Andoni Iraola to Liverpool, while a number of key players like Alex Scott continue to be linked with moves away.

Rose inherits a team that were unbeaten in their final 17 games of 2025-26, with the team's seven victories in that time including triumphs over Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United.

The Cherries averaged 1.5 goals scored and 1.4 conceded per game in the league last term, but they ended the campaign with eight goals scored in their final five matches, while they only conceded four times.

Bournemouth played against Premier League opposition for much of their pre-season campaign in 2025, but they are set to play three Bundesliga teams, as well as one club from Serie A and La Liga each.

St Pauli suffered relegation from the Bundesliga in 2025-26, finishing last in 18th place with just 26 points, though they should not be overly disappointed given their two seasons in the top flight came after 13 years in the second tier.

The German side have been very active this summer having already played four friendlies, all of which they emerged as winners in.

While it is difficult to gauge how performances in friendlies might translate to competitive football, fans will be heartened by the fact the team have scored 15 times in pre-season so far, though they did concede five goals.

Boss Marcel Rapp was appointed at the end of 2025-26 after the dismissal of Alexander Blessin, who had been in charge of the club since 2024.

St Pauli have never faced Bournemouth, but they did play English club Coventry City in an August 2025 friendly, settling for a 2-2 stalemate.

Bournemouth friendly form:

St Pauli Club friendly form:

Team News

Bournemouth attacker Justin Kluivert should be able to play a role during the match after he returned from the World Cup earlier this week.

Goalkeeper Will Dennis may feature behind a back four marshalled by central defenders Veljko Milosavljevic and Bafode Diakite.

While Scott has been linked with a move to the likes of Chelsea, he is part of Rose's squad, and he may be given minutes next Lewis Cook in a double pivot.

St Pauli have often used a three-man defence this summer, so perhaps they will field the likes of Marcus Mathisen, Tomoya Ando and David Nemeth on Friday.

Mathias Rasmussen is an option to play in the middle of the pitch next to Branimir Hrgota, and the pair could appear behind a front three of Martijn Kaars, Scott Banks and Abdoulie Ceesay.

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:

Dennis; Araujo, Milosavljevic, Diakite, Truffert; Scott, Cook; Doak, Kroupi, Kluivert; Rodriguez

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Voll; Mathisen, Nemeth, Ando; Pyrka, Rasmussen, Hrgota, Oppie; Ceesay, Banks; Kaars