St. Pauli Hopes for Cup Momentum in Relegation Battle - St. Pauli seeks Bundesliga revival after Cup upset over Gladbach
St. Pauli enters Saturday’s Bundesliga clash with 1. FC Köln on the back of a midweek German Cup upset. Martijn Kaars scored once and assisted another in their 2–1 last-16 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach. Now, the Hamburg side looks to break a nine-match winless league streak.
The two teams have a mixed history in recent meetings. Their last encounters came in the 2018/19 second division, where Köln won both matches—4–1 and 5–3. But St. Pauli’s most recent Bundesliga win over Köln was a convincing 3–0 at home in January 2011.
Coach Alexander Blessin believes momentum is shifting. 'Confidence is coming back,' he said ahead of the match. However, his side will likely be without top scorer Andréas Hountondji, who is sidelined with a muscle injury.
Meanwhile, Köln’s coach Lukas Kwasniok, in charge since summer 2025, has guided his team to a steady mid-table position by matchday 13. He praised St. Pauli’s quality, calling them 'top six—at least top eight in this league' in terms of footballing ability.
St. Pauli will aim to carry their cup form into the league and secure a much-needed victory. Köln, stable under Kwasniok, will look to maintain their position. The match could hinge on whether St. Pauli’s resurgent confidence outweighs Hountondji’s absence.
