Preview: FC Koln vs St Pauli - prediction, team news, lineups

With FC Koln at risk of being dragged into the Bundesliga's relegation battle, a loss against visitors St Pauli at RheinEnergieSTADION on Saturday would be damaging.

The Billy Goats are 10th with 15 points having drawn 1-1 with Werder Bremen on November 29, though they are eight points ahead of their 17th-placed opponents, who are second last in one of two automatic relegation spots.

Match preview

Koln netted a 91st-minute equaliser against Bremen, their 11th Bundesliga goal after the 75th minute this season, which is the second most in the division.

The hosts still have a seven-point buffer between them and 16th-placed Heidenheim, who occupy the league's relegation playoff spot, but they have collected just five points from the last 18 on offer.

Manager Lukas Kwasniok's side rank fifth in the top flight for big chances created (34), and they have only been prevented from scoring in one of their 14 matches in 2025-26.

The Billy Goats have lost four, drawn two and won just one of their past seven games, and they have conceded three or more goals in three of their last five contests.

Kwasniok has overseen three losses, one stalemate and one victory in his team's five most recent fixtures at home.

St Pauli were beaten 3-1 by Bayern Munich on November 29 in the Bundesliga, and while they failed to create meaningful opportunities, they will still be disappointed to have taken no points given Bayern scored their winner in the 93rd minute.

The club did bounce back with a 2-1 victory in the DFB-Pokal against Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday, and that was the first time in 11 matches that they netted more than once.

Kiezkicker last faced Koln in 2019, and a win on the weekend would bring to an end the hosts' five-game winning streak in this fixture.

Head coach Alexander Blessin's triumph against Gladbach was the first time he did not experience defeat in five outings, though it was their 12th consecutive clash without a clean sheet.

St Pauli's win last time out was also their first in six away games, a period in which they suffered five losses.

FC Koln Bundesliga form:

FC Koln form (all competitions):

St Pauli Bundesliga form:

St Pauli form (all competitions):

Team News

FC Koln winger Said El Mala scored last time out, and he is set to roam the left side of attack, with centre-forward Marius Bulter positioned ahead of him.

With Luca Kilian still ruled out due to a knee issue, Sebastian Sebulonsen, Rav van den Berg and Cenk Ozkacar may start together in a three-man defence.

If the hosts continue to deploy a double pivot, expect Isak Bergmann Johannesson and Eric Martel to appear in the middle of the pitch.

David Nemeth is St Pauli's only confirmed injury absentee, and while his presence in defence will be missed, Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith and Karol Mets will almost certainly be selected in his place.

Forwards Danel Sinani and Mathias Pereira Lage will hope that midfielders James Sands, Jackson Irvine and Joel Chima Fujita can provide them a platform from the centre of the park.

FC Koln possible starting lineup:

Schwabe; Sebulonsen, Van den Berg, Ozkacar; Thielmann, Johannesson, Martel, Lund; Kaminski, Bulter, El Mala

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Mets; Pyrka, Sands, Irvine, Fujita, Oppie; Sinani, Lage

We say: FC Koln 2-1 St Pauli

FC Koln boast the advantage of having a home crowd behind them, and they will also take confidence from St Pauli's struggles on the road.

The visitors will hope to end their poor record against the hosts, but while neither side's form is strong, Koln have at least been productive in the final third.

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