Crisis kick for St. Pauli: DFB Cup against Gladbach as a game of fate!

Crisis kick for St. Pauli: DFB Cup against Gladbach as a game of fate!

An important duel in the DFB Cup is scheduled for Tuesday, December 1, 2025, in which FC St. Pauli will face Borussia Mönchengladbach. The encounter, which begins at 6 p.m., is particularly explosive for the Kiezkickers because it could mark the turning point in what has so far been a disappointing season.

FC St. Pauli is currently in a crisis of results and has taken over the red lantern in the Bundesliga. Coach Alexander Blessin's team has not left the pitch as winners in the last nine league games and, among other things, suffered a bitter 4-0 defeat against Gladbach at the beginning of November [NDR] reports that... Despite this unfortunate situation, club president Oke Göttlich remains optimistic and emphasizes that he continues to have confidence in Blessin. The coach sees the upcoming cup game as a “do-or-die game” in which his team has to give everything to make it to the next round.

Lineup and injury problems

While St. Pauli will be without attacker Andréas Hountondji, who is struggling with a thigh injury, goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj will be used in the cup game. Blessin is planning some changes to the starting lineup to provide fresh impetus. Possible setups are:

• Borussia Mönchengladbach: Nicolas – Friedrich, Elvedi, Diks – Scally, Engelhardt, Ullrich – Reitz, Reyna – Honorat, Tabakovic
• FC St. Pauli: Vasilj – Wahl, Smith, Mets – Pyrka, Sands, Ritzka – Fujita, Irvine – Kaars, Pereira

The Gladbachers, on the other hand, have experienced an upward trend under their new coach Eugen Polanski and are unbeaten in five games. Polanski, who replaced Gerard Seoane, is urging his team to carry the momentum into the cup game, although he stresses that the previous league encounter against St. Pauli will not play a role [Onefootball] reports that... However, Gladbach will also have to do without some important players, including Florian Neuhaus and Jens Castrop.

The DFB Cup at a glance

The DFB Cup, which has been held since 1935, is not only the second most important title in German club football, but also a platform for many lower-class teams to prove themselves in national football. In the current 2025/26 season, 64 teams are taking part, including teams from the Bundesliga and the lower leagues. The modal is a knockout system, meaning each game has a loser and a winner who advances to the next round [Wikipedia] reports that… .

With this in mind, I hope that the game will be an exciting experience for the fans and maybe even secure a ticket for the next round. St. Pauli now needs an energetic performance to turn things around - perhaps the decisive game to regain contact with the top!