In the north duel on Saturday between Holstein Kiel and FC St. Pauli, both clubs are under pressure in the relegation thriller: the KSV is fighting for the connection to the relegation rank, the Hamburgers want to protect the lead to precisely this place.
What the promoters also united: Both collected self -confidence last weekend. Kiel with an unexpected draw at the Champions League Aspat Mainz 05, St. Pauli with a 1-1 win over Mönchengladbach, in which the Kiezkicker scored for the first time this season after a deficit.
Most recently there was a 4: 3 success in the Holstein Stadium twice in a row-St. Pauli’s captain Jackson Irvine did not have these victories positively: “These were chaos games.”
Kiel’s coach Marcel Rapp, on the other hand, certified both games “a high level of game” and therefore looks optimistic about the duel on Saturday (3:30 p.m., in the NDR LIVECENTER): “The boys will be motivated, you don’t have to worry. As a trainer, you don’t have to do anything special.”
Kiel’s defensive wobbles – now ZEC is also missing
The coach is still forced to act: Lewis Holtby (thigh problems) enlarged the Kiel Lazarett. The already not saddle -resistant Kiel defensive (68 goals, twice as many as St. Pauli and the worst league value) is now also missing defense chief David ZEC yellow -locked. However, Rapp doesn’t worry. “We have many ways to catch it,” he did not let himself look at the cards who he wants to set up for the Slovenian.
Comeback for Johansson?
In addition to ZEC, the longer injured Ivan Nekic, Colin Kleine-Kürel and Patrick Erras are also missing, so that there are four potential central defenders. Carl Johansson could therefore play in the ZEC position, Rapp at least indicated-even if the 30-year-old was used in December 5-1 against Augsburg. “I trust him without any problems. He collected in the U23 game practice and is an experienced player.”
St. Pauli’s Blessin: stick to our way of playing
Holstein Kiel, however, seems to be a kind of favorite opponent for St. Pauli: in the youngest four duels there were four victories in which the brown-white whopping 16 goals scored. In contrast, the poor offensive balance of Hamburgers is in the current season. Only 23 goals of the season hit the book, no other team in the league has less in the account. Kiel scored 16 goals more, but still collected eight points less.
This is not the only reason why St. Pauli’s coach Alexander Blessin does not want to give the pure number of hits. It is important to stick to your own way of playing, according to the coach, who is particularly aggressive in the northern duel: “I am convinced that this is the right way for us.”
KSV coach Rapp: “We have to deliver now”
Blessin (“Each game is important”) sees the Kieler in the relegation thriller a little more under pressure: “I am glad that there was nothing in the newspapers about a six-point game”, but one knew very well about the importance of the game: “We want to keep the distance to the relegation.”
Rapp also tried to play the explosive of the 100th competitive game of both teams a little, but nevertheless admitted: “There are not so many games – we have to deliver now to stay up.” In other words, Kiel has (still) losing more than St. Pauli.
Possible lists:
Kiel: Dähne – Becker, Ivezic, Komenda – Rosenboom, Gigovic, Remberg, Tolkin – Bernhardsson, Skrzybski – Machino
St. Pauli: Vasilj – Nemeth, Wahl, Ritzka – Saliacas, Irvine, Smith, Faithful – Sinani – Weißhaupt, Saad
This topic in the program:
NDR 2 Bundesliga show | 05.04.2025 | 3:00 p.m.
