Key Facts
- Dortmund (2nd/36 points) must defend their position—11 points behind Bayern, only four ahead of Leipzig—while St. Pauli, in 17th place with 12 points, are level on points with Mainz and Heidenheim.
- Borussia are unbeaten in five competitive games; the 3-0 win over Bremen showed clinical finishing and control from Guirassy and Sabitzer after the 3-3 draw in Frankfurt felt like points dropped.
- St. Pauli has recently recorded two wins, two draws, and one defeat; a 2-1 cup win in Gladbach and a 2-1 league win against Heidenheim give cause for optimism, despite the 2-1 defeat in Wolfsburg.
- Without Irvine, Sinani, and Hountondji, Blessin is missing key creative and offensive players; with four goals conceded in five games and Dortmund’s two clean sheet home wins, a BVB clean sheet seems realistic.
- The market sees Dortmund as the clear favorite (home win odds 1.3; draw 5.3), backed by goals in all five of their most recent games and 100% over 1.5 in that period.
- In head-to-head comparisons, Dortmund have won three of the last five encounters and are unbeaten in three games against St. Pauli; the visitors’ only success in the series was in the cup in 2022.
When every slip-up is punished in the title race, even a match between the second and 17th-placed teams feels like a minor stress test. On the 18th matchday of the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund welcomes FC St. Pauli to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday, January 17. Niko Kovac wants to defend second place with 36 points: The pace is high, Dortmund is 11 points behind Bayern, but only 4 ahead of Leipzig – so there is little room for maneuver. Alexander Blessin’s St. Pauli is in 17th place with 12 points, level on points with Mainz and Heidenheim.
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund
- Date and time: January 17, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (matchday 18)
With the betting market clearly favoring Dortmund at home (odds of 1.3; draw 5.3), the logic remains simple: the 3-0 win against Bremen underlined the efficiency and improved control led by Guirassy. St. Pauli also travels without the necessary creativity because Irvine, Sinani, and Hountondji are missing – a shutout therefore seems plausible, while Dortmund’s recent 3-3 draw against Frankfurt keeps Over 2.5 clearly in play.
Dortmund Form & Record Check
Dortmund go into this weekend’s game unbeaten in their last five games across all competitions, but the balance between control and chaos is still tipping. The recent 3-0 win against Bremen was exactly the blueprint Kovac wants to see: an early goal, calm game management, then a ruthless finish. Before that, the 3-3 draw in Frankfurt felt like points dropped, even if the late equalizer showed character and fitness.
Kovac is likely to stick with his 3-4-2-1, with Kobel behind a back three of Süle, Anton, and Schlotterbeck. The formation relies on width from the wing-backs, with Couto and Ryerson likely to push high up the pitch and tie up the full-backs, while Sabitzer and Nmecha dictate the tempo in the center and secure the transitions.
St. Pauli Form & Record Check
St. Pauli comes to Dortmund with mixed momentum. In their last five competitive games, they have recorded two wins, two draws, and one defeat, with the 2-1 win in the DFB Cup in Mönchengladbach and the narrow 2-1 league win against Heidenheim standing out. The setback was the 2-1 defeat on Wednesday in Wolfsburg, where a decent basic formation ultimately failed to yield any results.
Blessin is likely to stick with a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Vasilj behind a back three of Dzwigala, Wahl and Mets. Pyrka and Ritzka would probably provide width on the wings, while Sands and Smith would secure the center. In the forecast, Fujita is the link player in the space between the lines, supporting the striking duo of Jones and Pereira Lage.
Dortmund – St. Pauli Head-to-head comparison & statistics
In the last five encounters, Dortmund has the upper hand with three wins to one, plus one draw. The most recent encounter in August 2025 ended 3-3, after Dortmund had won 2-0 in March 2025. This means that Dortmund are unbeaten in three games in this head-to-head comparison. St. Pauli’s only win in this series came in 2022, a 2-1 victory in the DFB Cup.
