St. Pauli before Cologne: Can the guests finally end the nightmare?

St. Pauli before Cologne: Can the guests finally end the nightmare?

There is great anticipation for the upcoming duel between FC St. Pauli and 1. FC Köln on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (Sky). But the mood in the Kiezkicker camp could hardly be more tense. St. Pauli is currently struggling with a bitter form crisis, which is reflected in nine consecutive defeats in the league. However, after a narrow defeat against Bayern (1:3), the team grabbed an important cup victory over Gladbach (2:1), which may be a ray of hope in an otherwise dark tunnel. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether self-confidence will return against the current feared opponent from Cologne.

A critical point in this desired turnaround is defense, and Eric Smith, the defense chief, emphasizes the urgency to grit our teeth and fight for every point in the league. The record against the cathedral townspeople is worrying. From a total of 16 matches, St. Pauli was only able to record three wins and suffered ten defeats. The last duels in the 2018/19 season were particularly painful, all of which ended in defeats (3:5 and 1:4 for Cologne). The thesis that it is time for a new beginning could prove difficult.

A long negative story

The last memory of a win against 1. FC Köln dates back to 2011, when St. Pauli won 3-0 at Millerntor. Since then, we have been working our way almost continuously through a trough; a remarkable chapter in the club's eventful history. The historic 5-0 defeat against Cologne in 1978 even led to direct relegation, which fans still remember today. Coach Alexander Blessin is aware that his team will need a lot of fighting spirit in order to break out of this negative spiral and collect points.

The final bench between the two associations shows a clear dominance of Cologne, which further intensifies the pressure situation for St. Pauli. FC St. Pauli was unable to win against Cologne in the last six competitive games and lost five times in a row. All of these statistics mix the anticipation of the upcoming match with a certain nervousness, especially when you consider how important the league points are for the Kiezkicker, who are currently in a relegation battle.

An exciting club profile

FC St. Pauli looks back on an eventful history that dates back to its founding in 1910. Previously, the team was the football department of Hamburg-St. Pauli Gymnastics Club 1862. The club colors brown and white are now known far beyond the city limits and symbolize the liveliness and combative attitude that characterize the club. However, St. Pauli is more than just a football club; Numerous departments, including American football, rugby and women's football, ensure lively sports activities.

So it's no wonder that the supporters remain loyal to their club, even in difficult times like these. The connection between FC St. Pauli and its fans is close, and every point is perceived not only as a success, but also as a collective achievement within the neighborhood community. On Saturday the team will have to do everything they can to turn things around in the duel against the billy goats and put an end to the negative series.