Borussia Mönchengladbach vs St. Pauli preview: Hosts look to continue home run

In a clash that could have significant implications for both the relegation battle and the push for European qualification, Borussia Monchengladbach will host St. Pauli at Borussia-Park on Sunday in their 11th Bundesliga fixture of the season.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Borussia Mönchengladbach enter Sunday’s clash just two points behind sixth-placed Union Berlin, who currently occupy the Bundesliga’s Conference League qualification spot, and only three points adrift of Bayer Leverkusen in the final Champions League position.

In their previous match against Leipzig, Gladbach impressed in the first half by creating two big chances while keeping their opponents at bay. However, they adopted a more defensive approach after the break. 

So far, Gladbach have scored 15 goals and conceded 14 in the Bundesliga, ranking them joint eighth-best attacking and joint sixth-best defensive side in the division.

Their recent league form has shown improvement, with two wins and two draws in their last four games, starkly contrasting their earlier struggles, which included three defeats in four matches.

Additionally, Die Fohlen have been formidable at Borussia-Park, winning their last three home league matches. This is a notable turnaround from their previous seven home games, during which they managed only three draws and suffered four defeats.

Team News

Gladbach have relatively few injury issues but will remain without defender Luca Netz and attacking midfielder Yvandro Borges Sanches, both sidelined until next month.

Head coach Gerardo Seoane may opt for a back four of Joseph Scally, Marvin Friedrich, Ko Itakura, and Lukas Ullrich to shield goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas. In midfield, Rocco Reitz and Julian Weigl are likely to pair up, providing support for Alassane Plea further up the pitch.

St. Pauli

St. Pauli head into Sunday’s clash after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, but they can take heart from their defensive performance. Despite Bayern’s prolific form, having scored 32 goals in their first nine Bundesliga matches, St. Pauli limited them to just 0.8 xG on the day.

While St. Pauli have lost four of their last six matches, their recent league form shows signs of stability, with four points collected from their last three games (a win, a draw, and a loss).

On the road, Kiezkicker have been relatively strong, securing two wins from their last three away matches. Additionally, their defensive record is commendable, with only 12 goals conceded—a tally that ranks as the fifth-best in the Bundesliga this season.

Team News

St. Pauli have a longer injury list in comparison with their hosts, particularly in the goalkeeping department, with Soren Ahlers, Sascha Burchert, and Ben Alexander Voll all unavailable. Nikola Vasilj is expected to start in goal, backed by a defensive trio of Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith, and Karol Mets.

Midfielders Conor Metcalfe and Robert Wagner, as well as forwards Elias Saad, Scott Banks, and Simon Zoller, are also out. Jackson Irvine and Carlo Boukhalfa could form a double pivot in midfield, while Johannes Eggestein is likely to lead the attack for the visitors.