FC St. Pauli – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Our St. Pauli – Hoffenheim betting tip is: Both teams to score: No – 1.94 odds
- St. Pauli have only scored in one of their last five matches
- Hoffenheim have been solid defensively of late (only three goals conceded in five games)
This Friday evening, a crucial clash in the Bundesliga relegation battle will take place at the Millerntor Stadium. FC St. Pauli, currently in 15th place in the table, will host TSG Hoffenheim, in 13th place in the table, who have four points more to their name. With just 22 points and only a two-point lead over VfL Bochum, Hamburg are under huge pressure after five defeats in a row, although they did manage to secure a 1-1 draw against VfL Wolfsburg recently. Hoffenheim have picked up seven points from their last five games under new coach Christian Ilzer, but were held to a 1-1 draw against Heidenheim on the last matchday. The most recent meeting between the two teams could give the Kiezkickers some encouragement: St. Pauli surprisingly won 2-0 in Sinsheim at the beginning of November.
St. Pauli – Hoffenheim Info
- Location: Millerntor-Stadion, Hamburg
- Date and time: 14. 03.2025, 20:30
- Competition: Bundesliga
- TV broadcast: Sky
St. Pauli Form & Balance Check
FC St. Pauli are in a deep form crisis. Although the 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg may seem like a small glimmer of hope, the club has lost four and drawn just one of its last five matches. The persistent weakness in attack is striking: prior to the Wolfsburg game, the team had not scored in four matches. In the clash with the Wolves, Siebe Van der Heyden scored the opening goal from a corner kick, but later conceded a controversial penalty to make the final score 1:1 – a scene that underlines the Kiezkickers’ current bad luck.
Coach Alexander Blessin experimented with tactical changes, for example with Danel Sinani as a hanging point. Elias Saad’s return from injury could provide further impetus, although Ramadan could pose an additional challenge for the attacking player. The match against Hoffenheim will also be emotional: Finn Ole Becker returns to the Millerntor as an opponent after twelve years in a St. Pauli shirt – perhaps just the spark that can break Hamburg’s negative spiral.
St. Pauli Facts & Analysis
- 15. Place in the Bundesliga
- Last played 1:1 against Wolfsburg
- Not won in seven games
At home, the Kiezkickers are likely to field their usual 3-4-1-2 system again. Coach Alexander Blessin will probably continue to rely on the flexibility he has practiced recently, with Danel Sinani acting as a ‘false nine’ and causing trouble behind the strikers Afolayan and Weißhaupt. Despite his unfortunate penalty foul in the Wolfsburg game, Nemeth, Van der Heyden and Wahl will remain in the back three in front of goalkeeper Voll. Captain Irvine and Smith are firmly planned for the six.
The absence of Morgan Guilavogui (hairline fracture in his foot) continues to be a major blow to the offense. Added to this are the absences of Mets in defense and Sands due to an inner ligament injury. It is still unclear whether Elias Saad will play from the start due to Ramadan or only come on as a substitute.
Hoffenheim Form & Balance Check
TSSG 1899 Hoffenheim have presented themselves as the wonder bag of the Bundesliga in recent weeks. With seven points from their last five games, the Kraichgauers are in 13th place in the table, level on points with Union Berlin. However, the recent 1:1 slip-up against Heidenheim illustrates the lack of stamina needed to fully exploit their potential.
The 3:1 win in Bremen was impressive: There, the team showed a tactical maturity and effectiveness that one would like to see more often. The narrow 1:0 win in Bochum also proves that TSG can win close games. However, their weakness at home remains a key problem, as the clear 4-0 defeat against Union Berlin proved. Overall, Hoffenheim have conceded goals in four of their last five games, which is a growing concern for coach Christian Ilzer.
Offensively, attacker Tabaković in particular is causing a stir – his goal against Heidenheim highlighted his ability. Although the team has scored a goal in 80% of its most recent matches, that is not enough for higher ambitions. It is also noticeable that goals are rarely scored in the first half: In four of the last five matches, the score remained under 1.5 goals before the break. Trailing Werder Bremen by seven points, their European dreams are a long way off; more important is looking down, where they are just four points ahead of St. Pauli.
Hoffenheim Facts & Analysis
- 13. Place in the Bundesliga
- Last played 1:1 against Heidenheim
- Only lost one of the last five games
Under coach Christian Ilzer, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim will probably rely on a 4-1-3-2 system, which has been preferred in recent weeks. However, the team is facing some attacking problems: Key players Hlozek and Bebou are still out following operations, while Bülter is also plagued by a muscle injury.
Up front, Andrej Kramarić is expected to act as the control center behind the two strikers Orban and Tabaković. In midfield, Dennis Geiger is expected to take on the defensive role, while Bischof and Becker will provide creative impetus. Østigård and Chaves are likely to line up in central defense, flanked by Kadeřábek and Gendrey. Oliver Baumann will remain in goal and lead the team as captain.
St. Pauli – Hoffenheim head-to-head & stats
The overall record between St. Pauli and Hoffenheim is even: In the past three meetings, each team has celebrated one win, plus one draw. Remarkably, the first half of all of these matches was scoreless. This pattern continued in the most recent clash in November 2024, before St. Pauli won 2:0 and celebrated an important victory.
The two previous encounters took place further back: the teams drew 2-2 in 2011, while Hoffenheim narrowly won 1-0 at the Millerntor in 2010. It remains interesting that the actual decision in these duels often only crystallizes after the break – real tests of patience for both fan camps
