Holstein Kiel vs St. Pauli Preview: Team News & Prediction
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A crucial battle in the fight to avoid relegation in the Bundesliga sees Holstein Kiel host St. Pauli
Kick-off date/time: Saturday April 12th 2025: UK – 2:30pm / US ET – 9:30am / US PT – 6:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Some matches will be televised on ESPN channels so it is worth checking their schedules
How to watch online: UK – Not streamed / US – ESPN+
Holstein Kiel Preview: Precious point closes gap
An unexpected draw against Mainz has seen Holstein Kiel cut the gap between themselves and 17th-placed Bochum to two points. More importantly, they are now just five points from 16th-placed Heidenheim, who are outside the automatic relegation places.
But Holstein still haven’t won since their 0-1 triumph away at Union Berlin and its victories that they need if they are to produce a ‘great escape’, with the fixtures starting to rapidly run out from their point of view.
St. Pauli Preview: Afolayan sends Millerntor mad
St. Pauli looked set to fall to a defeat at home to Borussia Monchengladbach last Sunday, before substitute Oladapo Afolayan stepped up for his side with a fabulous late equaliser to rescue a precious point for the 2. Bundesliga champions.
The draw leaves them four points above the bottom three heading into this latest round of Bundesliga fixtures and they have now lost just one of their last four league games, that being away to Bayern Munich.
Holstein Kiel Team News: Large injury list
It's a significant number of injuries that are currently stunting the hosts, who are expected to miss up to seven players for this contest.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Dahne; Becker, Zec, Komenda; Rosenboom, Gigovic, Remberg, Tolkin; Skrzybski; Bernhardsson, Machino
Unavailable: Erras (Injured), Holtby (Injured), Kelati (Injured), Kleine-Bekel (Injured), Nekic (Injured), Pichler (Injured), Zec (Suspended)
Questionable:
St. Pauli Team News: Goal hero to start
Following his equaliser last Sunday and impact he made, Afolayan will no doubt hope that he's done enough to force his way back into the St. Pauli starting line-up.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Vasilj; Nemeth, Wahl, Smith; Saliakas, Irvine, Metcalfe, Treu; Afolayan, Weisshaupt, Saad
Unavailable: Burchert (Injured), Mets (Injured), Sands (Injured), Zoller (Injured)
Questionable: Banks (Illness)
Holstein Kiel vs St. Pauli Prediction
From a Holstein Kiel perspective, this contest takes on far more importance with them sitting bottom of the table and desperate for three points. Whilst St. Pauli wouldn’t drop into the bottom three if they lost, it would put them right back in the sights of those below them, so they can’t afford to be beaten here. With so much at stake here, it would be no surprise to see a cagey affair, at least initially. Attack has been a struggle for both all season and backing under 2.5 goals may prove the smart play.
Holstein Kiel vs St. Pauli Tip: Under 2.5 goals
