St. Pauli vs Union Berlin Preview, Prediction & Lineups Bundesliga 2025/26
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Match Preview
Sunday morning football comes to the Millerntor-Stadion as a desperate St. Pauli side hosts Union Berlin.1 The atmosphere in Hamburg is always electric, but the mood is turning tense; the Kiezkicker are currently 16th and stuck in a rut of six consecutive league defeats. Manager Alexander Blessin is under mounting pressure to turn performances into points.
Visiting them is a Union Berlin side that sits comfortably in 11th place but has struggled to find consistency, drawing their last two games. Boasting one of the league’s more robust defenses but a shy attack, Union will look to frustrate the hosts and strike on the break. Can St. Pauli finally snap their losing streak, or will the Iron Ones grind out another result on the road?
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: St. Pauli vs Union Berlin
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 11)
- Venue: Millerntor-Stadion, Hamburg (Capacity: 29,546)
- Date: Sunday, 23 November 2025
- Kickoff Time: 15:30 CET / 14:30 GMT / 20:00 IST
- Referee: Tobias Stieler (Germany)
- TV Channel (UK): Sky Sports Football
- TV Channel (USA): ESPN+
- TV Channel (India): Sony Sports Network, SonyLIV, JioTV
- Live Stream: ESPN+ (USA), SonyLIV (India)
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
St. Pauli:
- Position: 16th in Bundesliga (Relegation Play-off Spot).
- Form: Crisis Mode. They have lost 6 Bundesliga games in a row, most recently a 2-1 defeat to Freiburg. Their only recent joy was a DFB-Pokal win over Hoffenheim.
- Current Challenge: Scoring goals. They have failed to score in 3 of their last 5 league outings.
Union Berlin:
- Position: 11th in Bundesliga.
- Form: Stubborn. Coming off back-to-back draws against heavyweights Bayern Munich (2-2) and Freiburg (0-0).4 They are tough to beat but struggle to kill games off.
- Current Challenge: Improving away form. They lost their last away match 1-0 to Werder Bremen.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — What’s at Stake
For St. Pauli:
- Survival Instinct: Sitting in the relegation playoff spot, they risk being cut adrift if they don’t start picking up points at home. A win could vault them out of the bottom three.
For Union Berlin:
- Mid-Table Safety: A win here would push Union towards the European places (7th-8th) and banish any lingering fears of being dragged into the relegation scrap.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Team Form
St. Pauli (Last 5 Matches):
- L vs Freiburg (1-2)
- L vs B. Monchengladbach (0-4)
- W vs Hoffenheim (3-2 AET – Cup)
- L vs Eintracht Frankfurt (0-2)
- L vs Hoffenheim (0-3)8
Union Berlin (Last 5 Matches):
- D vs Bayern Munich (2-2)
- D vs Freiburg (0-0)
- W vs Arminia Bielefeld (2-1 – Cup)
- L vs Werder Bremen (0-1)
- W vs B. Monchengladbach (3-1)
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Team News
St. Pauli:
- David Nemeth: Out (Groin Injury).
- Andrik Markgraf: Out (Leg Injury).
- Adam Dzwigala: Questionable (Muscle Injury).
- Manolis Saliakas: Questionable (Groin Injury – A key loss if he can’t play; Pyrka likely replaces him).
- Ricky-Jade Jones: Questionable (Shoulder Injury).
Union Berlin:
- Robert Skov: Questionable (Muscle Injury – Major doubt).
- Tom Rothe: Questionable (Knock – If out, Derrick Köhn starts).
- Josip Juranovic: Questionable.
- Oliver Burke: Questionable.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Head to Head
- 26 Jan 2025: St. Pauli 3–0 Union Berlin
- 31 Aug 2024: Union Berlin 1–0 St. Pauli
- 21 Dec 2022: Union Berlin 3–2 St. Pauli (Friendly)
- 02 Mar 2022: Union Berlin 2–1 St. Pauli (DFB Pokal)
- 05 Feb 2019: St. Pauli 3–2 Union Berlin
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Predicted Lineups
St. Pauli (3-4-3):
Blessin will rely on his captain Irvine to drive the midfield. Without Saliakas, the right flank is vulnerable.
- GK: Nikola Vasilj
- CB: Hauke Wahl
- CB: Eric Smith
- CB: Karol Mets
- RWB: Arkadiusz Pyrka
- CM: Jackson Irvine (C)
- CM: Joel Chima Fujita
- LWB: Louis Oppie
- RW: Connor Metcalfe
- ST: Martijn Kaars
- LW: Mathias Pereira Lage
Union Berlin (3-4-2-1):
Union’s back three is their strength. Trimmel provides veteran leadership on the right.
- GK: Frederik Rønnow
- CB: Danilho Doekhi
- CB: Leopold Querfeld
- CB: Diogo Leite
- RWB: Christopher Trimmel (C)
- CM: Rani Khedira
- CM: Aljoscha Kemlein
- LWB: Derrick Köhn (Replacing Rothe/Skov)
- CAM: Jeong Woo-yeong
- CAM: Ilyas Ansah
- ST: Andrej Ilic
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Impact Bench Options
St. Pauli:
- Danel Sinani: The Luxembourg international has a knack for long-range goals. If St. Pauli struggles to break the block, he is the first sub.
- Oladapo Afolayan: Offers pace and direct dribbling against tired defenders.
Union Berlin:
- Tim Skarke: A versatile forward who can play anywhere across the front line.34 He scored crucial goals last season and is a dangerous option off the bench.
- Janik Haberer: Provides stability and goal threat from midfield if Union needs to hold a lead.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Tactical Outlook
St. Pauli:
- Playing Style: High Intensity but Fragile. St. Pauli tries to press high and win the ball in the opponent’s half (led by Irvine). However, when the press is broken, their back three is often exposed, leading to heavy defeats (like the 0-4 vs Gladbach).
- Weakness: Set Piece Defending. They lack height in key areas compared to Union’s giants (Doekhi, Querfeld).
Union Berlin:
- Playing Style: Defensive Discipline & Counters. Union is happy to sit back (averaging low possession) and frustrate opponents. They rely heavily on Christopher Trimmel’s crosses and set-piece delivery.
- Strength: Aerial Dominance. With Doekhi and Leite, they are almost unbeatable in the air. Expect them to target St. Pauli on corners.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
| Eric Smith vs. Andrej Ilic | Physical Duel: Smith is the organizer of St. Pauli’s defense. He must stop Ilic from holding up the ball and bringing others into play. | Even |
| Jackson Irvine vs. Rani Khedira | Captain’s Clash: Two hard-working midfielders who set the tempo. Irvine attacks the box; Khedira protects his defense. | Union |
| Arkadiusz Pyrka vs. Derrick Köhn | Speed on the Flank: With Saliakas likely out, Pyrka has a tough job stopping the explosive Köhn. | Union |
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Spotlight Players
Jackson Irvine (St. Pauli):
The Australian captain is the heartbeat of the team. With St. Pauli in a slump, his leadership and ability to make late runs into the box are vital. He needs to drag his team into the fight.
Danilho Doekhi (Union Berlin):
A monster at the back. Not only does he win every header, but he is also Union’s top scoring threat from corners. St. Pauli must mark him tightly or he will punish them.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Fan Reactions
St. Pauli Fans:
“Six losses in a row is painful. We need the Millerntor to be loud and hostile on Sunday.”
“If we can’t beat Union at home, we are in serious trouble. Irvine needs to step up.”
Union Berlin Fans:
“A point against Bayern was huge, now we need 3 points against St. Pauli.”
“Doekhi header to win it 1-0. Classic Union.”
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Match-Defining Factors
- The First Goal: St. Pauli’s confidence is brittle. If Union scores first, the home crowd might get anxious. If St. Pauli scores, the energy will be unstoppable.
- Union’s Set Pieces: St. Pauli has conceded heavily from dead-ball situations. Union is the best in the league at exploiting them.
- Referee Decisions: Tobias Stieler lets the game flow. This suits Union’s physical style more than St. Pauli’s technical pressing game.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Prediction
Score Prediction: St. Pauli 1–1 Union Berlin
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Draw or Union Berlin Double Chance.
- Total Goals: Under 2.5 Goals (Union’s defense is solid; St. Pauli struggles to score).
- Corner Count: Union Berlin Over 4.5 Corners (They play for set-pieces).
Analysis: St. Pauli will fight hard to end their losing streak, and the home advantage will help them get a result. However, Union’s defense is too organized to break down easily. A gritty, low-scoring draw seems the most likely outcome.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — Final Word
This won’t be the prettiest game of the weekend, but it will be a fascinating tactical battle. St. Pauli are fighting for their lives, while Union Berlin are the masters of grinding out results. Expect a physical contest where one set-piece or defensive error decides the outcome. A point apiece feels fair, though Union will feel they have the quality to snatch it.
St. Pauli vs Union Berlin — FAQs
When is the St. Pauli vs Union Berlin match?
The match is on Sunday, 23 November 2025, at 15:30 CET (20:00 IST).
Is Manolis Saliakas playing?
He is listed as Questionable with a groin injury. Arkadiusz Pyrka is expected to deputize if he misses out.
Where can I watch the match in India?
You can watch the match on Sony Sports Network or stream it on SonyLIV and JioTV.
Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community
Can St. Pauli finally end their losing streak? Drop your predictions below!
If you enjoyed this preview, follow SportsphereArena.com for post-match ratings, tactical deep dives, and exclusive fan analysis.
Stay connected for real-time updates across football, tennis, and cricket.
Stay informed. Stay analytical. Stay in the game — with Sportsphere Arena.
RELATED ARTICLE
Getafe vs Atletico Madrid: Preview
Newcastle United Women vs Everton Women: Preview
Fiorentina vs Juventus: Preview
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Los Angeles FC: Preview
External Link
About the Author
