Preview: Hamburger SV vs St Pauli - prediction, team news, lineups

With both sides hoping for their first win of the new Bundesliga season, 11th-placed Hamburger SV will welcome ninth-placed St Pauli to Volksparkstadion on Friday.

Hamburger held Borussia Monchengladbach to a goalless stalemate on August 24, and they are level on points with their visitors, who drew 3-3 with Borussia Dortmund in their opening game on August 23.

Match preview

The hosts faced a number of high-quality chances from inside the box in the first half against Borussia Monchengladbach, but they should be credited for a resilient second half in which they faced just two attempts from open play from inside the penalty area.

Hamburger began their 2025-26 season with a 2-1 victory against Pirmasens in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 16, and they have now kept just two clean sheets in their past eight competitive fixtures.

Boss Merlin Polzin's side have not faced St Pauli in the Bundesliga since 2011, but they have clashed nine times so far this decade, with the home side winning two and drawing one of their three most recent meetings.

The Red Shorts lost the four pre-season games that preceded their DFB-Pokal triumph, and they also lost three of their final six competitive matches of 2024-25, winning on two occasions.

Hamburger SV were beaten in two of their last four home fixtures - they are yet to play at home this term - and they only emerged as winners once in that period while conceding seven times.

St Pauli were trailing 3-1 against Dortmund when Danel Sinani netted their second goal in the 86th minute before Eric Smith's long-range strike three minutes later drew them level, and the result represented an improvement over their 2-0 defeat in the corresponding fixture last term.

The visitors netted as many times in their last Bundesliga outing as they did in their final five league matches of 2024-25, and their return of 28 goals that campaign was the worst in the division.

Kiezkicker head coach Alexander Blessin did help his side end the season with the second-best defensive record, with their tally of 41 conceded only bettered by champions Bayern Munich (32).

St Pauli drew 0-0 with Eintracht Norderstedt in the DFB-Pokal on August 16, advancing thanks to their victory in a penalty shootout, and they did win four and draw one of their final five friendlies.

Blessin's team proved tough opponents away from home in the closing stages of 2024-25 given they were only defeated in one of their final five Bundesliga matches on the road, emerging as victors once.

Hamburger SV Bundesliga form:

Hamburger SV form (all competitions):

St Pauli Bundesliga form:

St Pauli form (all competitions):

Team News

After Hamburger defenders Warmed Omari, Daniel Elfadli and Jordan Torunarigha performed so well last time out, they can be expected to start.

With midfielder Immanuel Pherai ruled out, Nicolai Remberg and Nicolas Capaldo can be considered the leading candidates to be stationed in a double pivot.

Right-winger Bakery Jatta is dealing with a thigh issue, and his injury means there is little reason to doubt that Emir Sahiti will not retain his place.

Meanwhile, St Pauli regulars Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith and Adam Dzwigala are certain to feature in a three-man defence, especially as David Nemeth is set to miss out due to injury.

James Sands and Joel Chima Fujita are likely to be selected in the middle of the pitch, while Sinani could be asked to play in a more advanced role.

In the frontline, strikers Mathias Pereira Lage and Andreas Hountondji both started against Dortmund, and they will hope to appear together again.

Hamburger SV possible starting lineup:

Fernandes; Omari, Elfadli, Torunarigha; Gocholeishvili, Remberg, Capaldo, Muheim; Sahiti, Konigsdorffer, Dompe

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Dzwigala; Saliakis, Sands, Fujita, Oppie; Sinani; Hountondji, Lage

We say: Hamburger SV 1-1 St Pauli

St Pauli's usual defensive resilience was absent against Dortmund, and if they perform similarly at the back on Friday, then they will likely concede.

Hamburger's home record is mixed, while the visitors have been difficult to beat on the road, so it would not be surprising if the two sides earned a point.

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