Borussia Dortmund is looking to rebound from a tough loss when they host newcomer St Pauli at Signal Iduna Park on Friday. Dortmund currently sits seventh in the standings with 10 points, while St Pauli is struggling in 15th place with just four points.
Dortmund started the season strong under new manager Nuri Sahin, winning four of their first five games. However, they've hit a rough patch, losing two of their last four matches - including a shocking 5-1 defeat to Stuttgart.
Sahin was disappointed with his team's performance in their last game, saying they gave Union Berlin too much control and defended poorly. Despite this, Dortmund has an impressive home record, winning eight of their last nine matches at Signal Iduna Park.
On the other hand, St Pauli is fighting to stay out of the relegation zone. They're level on points with Hoffenheim and desperately need a win. Manager Alexander Blessin's team has struggled to find the back of the net, scoring a league-low four goals this season.
St Pauli's last game was a disappointing 3-0 loss to Mainz, despite taking 19 shots. They've lost four of their six matches, conceding six goals in the second half. Their away record isn't promising either, with two losses in three games this season.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Dortmund will be missing Yan Couto, Julien Duranville, and Giovanni Reyna until early November, and forward Karim Adeyemi is set to be out until late November. Coach Sahin is also unsure about the availability of defender Niklas Sule and attacker Maximilian Beier.
In defense, Waldemar Anton is likely to partner with Nico Schlotterbeck, while Pascal Gross and Marcel Sabitzer might play together in midfield.
On the other hand, St. Pauli is dealing with several injury issues. Goalkeepers Soren Ahlers, Sascha Burchert, and Ben Alexander Voll are all sidelined, with Voll still recovering from a broken jaw. Winger Elias Saad and striker Simon Zoller are also expected to be unavailable.
This may lead Blessin to include Vasilj Oladapo Afolayan, Johannes Eggestein, and Morgan Guilavogui in the attacking lineup.
Additionally, Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith, and Karol Mets could make up a back three, supported by a midfield duo of Jackson Irvine and Robert Wagner.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Sabitzer, Gross; Malen, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy
St Pauli possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Mets; Saliakas, Irvine, Wagner, Ritzka; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui
EXPERT PREDICTION
Borussia Dortmund 3-0 St Pauli
While Borussia Dortmund has faced consistency issues lately, it’s hard to imagine them losing, especially given the visitors' weak offensive performance. It would also be quite surprising if St. Pauli managed to avoid defeat, particularly with Dortmund's strong record at home.
