Hoffenheim vs St. Pauli – News and Probable Lineups

In this quest, Die Kraichgauer have only slipped up twice in 2026 – achieving six wins and one draw, although they were held to a 2-2 draw against FC Koln last Saturday, and they have secured victory in just one of their last three matches.

Despite dropping points in that recent draw, Ilzer’s team remains in third place in the Bundesliga, and their total of 46 points puts them five points clear of RB Leipzig in fifth.

Concerned about their position being challenged, fans of Hoffenheim can take heart from the fact that the team has achieved eight consecutive victories at the PreZero Arena, a run dating back to a 1-0 loss against Koln in early October.

Furthermore, the hosts have netted 12 goals at home in 2026, a commendable tally, complemented by two clean sheets defensively.

On the other hand, Alexander Blessin’s St Pauli started the new year with three losses and two draws across their initial five Bundesliga matches, but they have revived their survival chances by winning two of their last three.

Last Sunday, Kiezkicker achieved a notable 2-1 victory against Werder Bremen, bouncing back from a heavy 4-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Valentine’s Day.

This win propelled Blessin’s squad to 16th in the standings, and with 20 points, St Pauli are now level on points with 15th-placed Wolfsburg ahead of this match.

However, while the visitors have shown signs of progress in recent matches, a run of five consecutive away defeats in all competitions and only one league win this season may pose challenges this Saturday.

Additionally, Kiezkicker have only kept a single clean sheet in 2026, and given the offensive threat posed by their opponents, they may find avoiding a deficit difficult in this upcoming fixture.

Team News

Hoffenheim will be without several attacking players this weekend, including strikers Tim Lemperle and Adam Hlozek, both nursing ankle and calf injuries, respectively, as well as loanee right-winger William Cole Campbell, who is also dealing with an ankle issue.

In light of their absences, Andrej Kramaric and Bazoumana Toure are expected to start on the wings, providing support for Fisnik Asllani at the forefront.

Defensively, left-back Bernardo and centre-back Koki Machida are anticipated to remain sidelined, so Robin Hranac and Ozan Kabak are likely to form the core of the hosts’ defence.

As for St Pauli, they are also facing limitations in their attacking options without strikers Andreas Hountondji and Ricky-Jade Jones, who are recovering from ankle injuries. To complicate matters, wide player Connor Metcalfe is doubtful due to a knee injury.

To address this situation on Saturday, Blessin may choose to deploy Martijn Kaars at centre-forward, with Danel Sinani and Joel Chima Fujita assisting him.

Other long-term absentees, goalkeeper Simon Spari and centre-back David Nemeth, are progressing toward recovery from ligament and tendon injuries, but will not feature in this match, leading to Nikola Vasilj starting in goal, supported by a defensive trio of Tomoya Ando, Hauke Wahl, and Karol Mets.

Hoffenheim probable starting XI:

Baumann; Coufal, Hranac, Kabak, Hajdari; Promel, Avdullahu, Burger; Kramaric, Asllani, Toure

St Pauli probable starting XI:

Vasilj; Ando, Wahl, Mets; Saliakas, Irvine, Smith, Pyrka; Sinani, Fujita; Kaars

Hoffenheim may have claimed just one victory in their last three matches, but their overall form and strong home record suggests a return to winning form this Saturday.

Conversely, St Pauli has faced difficulties on the road this season, and their defensive vulnerabilities could lead to issues this weekend.