Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Match Preview
A massive relegation “six-pointer” takes place at the Mewa Arena on Sunday, 21 December 2025. Mainz 05 are currently rock bottom (18th) with just 7 points, but they come into this game with renewed hope after a morale-boosting 2–2 draw against league leaders Bayern Munich.2 FC St. Pauli sit in the relegation playoff spot (16th) with 11 points and will see this as a golden opportunity to put significant distance between themselves and the automatic drop zone.3 With both teams possessing identical goal differences (-13) and defensive frailties, this clash could define their survival chances heading into the winter break.+1
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Match Info
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 15)
- Venue: Mewa Arena, Mainz (Capacity: 34,000)
- Date: Sunday, 21 December 2025
- Kickoff: 15:30 CET | 14:30 GMT | 09:30 ET
- Referee: Matthias Jöllenbeck (GER)
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Match Stakes
Mainz 05 (18th — 7 pts):
- Win → Moves to 10 pts; closes the gap to safety to just 1 point
- Draw → Maintains the status quo; keeps them bottom but extends unbeaten run to 3
- Loss → Gap to safety widens to 7 points; a potentially fatal blow to survival hopes
FC St. Pauli (16th — 11 pts):
- Win → Moves to 14 pts; creates a 7-point buffer to the automatic relegation zone
- Draw → A solid away result; keeps a direct rival at arm’s length
- Loss → Dragged back into the deep mire; allows Mainz to breathe down their neck
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Team News
Mainz 05:
- Zentner R. — Out (Groin Injury – Starting GK Missing)
- Caci A. — Out (Thigh Injury)
- Mwene P. — Out (Muscle Injury)
- Onisiwo K. — Available (Key forward)
- Burkardt J. — Available (Expected to lead the line)
FC St. Pauli:
- Smith E. — Out (Red Card Suspension – Defensive Leader Missing)
- Nemeth D. — Out (Groin Injury)
- Metcalfe C. — Available (Midfield engine)
- Guilavogui M. — Available (Attacking threat)
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Mainz 05
- 14/12 — 2–2 vs Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)
- 12/12 — 1–1 vs Lech Poznan (UECL)
- 06/12 — 0–1 vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (Bundesliga)
- 01/12 — 0–4 vs Freiburg (Bundesliga)7
- 27/11 — 0–1 vs Univ. Craiova (UECL)
FC St. Pauli
- 13/12 — 2–1 vs Heidenheim (Bundesliga)
- 06/12 — 1–1 vs FC Köln (Bundesliga)
- 02/12 — 2–1 vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (DFB-Pokal)
- 29/11 — 1–3 vs Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)
- 23/11 — 0–1 vs Union Berlin (Bundesliga)
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 22/02/2025 — Mainz 2–0 St. Pauli (Bundesliga)
- 05/10/2024 — St. Pauli 0–3 Mainz (Bundesliga)
- 14/05/2011 — Mainz 2–1 St. Pauli (Bundesliga)
- 18/12/2010 — St. Pauli 2–4 Mainz (Bundesliga)
- 15/07/2009 — Mainz 1–1 St. Pauli (Friendly)
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Mainz 05 (3-4-2-1)
Riess; Kohr, Bell, Leitsch; Widmer, Sano, Amiri, Veratschnig; Lee, Sieb; Burkardt
FC St. Pauli (3-4-3)
Vasilj; Wahl, Dzwigala, Mets; Saliakas, Irvine, Wagner, Treu; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Impact Bench
Mainz 05: Hong (Playmaker), Weiper (Young striker option)
FC St. Pauli: Banks (Pace on wing), Ritzka (Defensive cover)
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Tactical Analysis
Mainz 05
Bo Henriksen’s men showed incredible fight to draw with Bayern, but they need to translate that grit into offensive quality. With Robin Zentner out, backup keeper Lasse Riess faces huge pressure. Mainz will likely target St. Pauli’s reshuffled defense (due to Eric Smith’s suspension) with high pressing led by Jonathan Burkardt. Set-pieces delivered by Nadiem Amiri will be their primary weapon.
FC St. Pauli
Alexander Blessin’s side is pragmatic but effective on the counter. Without their defensive organizer Eric Smith, they may struggle to play out from the back. St. Pauli will look to bypass midfield quickly, aiming for the speed of Afolayan and Guilavogui to expose Mainz’s wing-backs who often push high. They will be happy to surrender possession and frustrate the home crowd.
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Key Battles
- Burkardt vs Wahl — Mainz’s top scorer vs St. Pauli’s experienced defender
- Amiri vs Irvine — Battle for midfield supremacy and tempo
- Lee vs Mets — Creative movement vs physical defending
- Riess vs Eggestein — Backup GK needs to command his box
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Spotlight Players
Mainz 05 — Nadiem Amiri
The creative heart of the team. In a game where nerves will be high, his ability to unlock defenses with a single pass or a dangerous free-kick could be the difference between 1 point and 3.
FC St. Pauli — Jackson Irvine
The captain embodies the club’s fighting spirit. His box-to-box energy will be vital in disrupting Mainz’s rhythm and driving his team forward on the counter.
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Prediction
Mainz 05 1–1 FC St. Pauli
Both teams are desperate not to lose. Mainz have the home advantage and momentum from the Bayern draw, but their injury list is concerning. St. Pauli are resilient and recently beat Heidenheim.14 A tense, low-scoring draw seems the most likely outcome as fear of failure dominates the tactical approach.
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Betting Insights
- Under 2.5 Goals — Likely (High stakes, tense atmosphere)
- Double Chance — Mainz or Draw
- Both Teams to Score — YES
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — Where to Watch
- Germany: DAZN
- UK: Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports App
- USA: ESPN+
- International: SonyLIV (India), Star+ (South America)
Mainz 05 vs FC St. Pauli — FAQs
Q: When is the Mainz vs St. Pauli match?
A: The match kicks off on Sunday, 21 December 2025, at 15:30 CET.
Q: Is Robin Zentner playing?
A: No. The Mainz goalkeeper is out with a groin injury.
Q: Who is favored to win?
A: It is a very close call, but Mainz are slight favorites due to home advantage and historical H2H dominance.
Q: Is Eric Smith available for St. Pauli?
A: No. He is suspended after receiving a red card in the previous match.
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