Newly-promoted St Pauli are set to play their first Bundesliga game of the season on Sunday when they face Heidenheim at Millerntor-Stadion.
The home side won the 2. Bundesliga in 2023-24 and were promoted with 69 points from 34 games, while the visitors finished eighth in the top flight with 42 points.
Match preview
After 13 seasons in Germany's second division, the hosts managed to return to the Bundesliga under the guidance of current Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler.
Hurzeler was made manager at just 29 years of age, and at the time of his permanent appointment in December 2022, was the youngest manager in the history of Germany's second tier.
However, after his departure to the Premier League in the summer, the club turned to 51-year-old Alexander Blessin.
Blessin had three permanent managerial jobs prior to his appointment at St Pauli, and though he was sacked from his second role at Genoa in 2022, he was named manager of the year in the Belgium's top flight in 2021 for his success with Oostende.
The German also won Union Saint-Gilloise their first Belgian Cup in 110 years in 2024, when they beat Royal Antwerp 1-0 on May 9.
In their most recent Bundesliga campaign, Kiezkicker finished last in 18th place in 2010-11, but they come into the 2024-25 season having won their last four games.
This includes a 3-2 win against fourth-tier side Halle on August 16th in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, although St Pauli were taken to extra time.
Opponents Heidenheim were in Germany's second division as recently as 2022-23, and in their first ever season in the top flight they finished nine points clear of 16th-placed Bochum, who ended 2023-24 in the league's relegation playoff spot.
Last term, the visitors scored 50 goals and conceded 55 times, and of the 18 teams in the Bundesliga, this made them the joint ninth-best offensive and ninth-best defensive team.
Heidenheim's remarkable rise to Germany's first tier would not have been possible without hometown manager Frank Schmidt, who has been in charge since 2007.
In September 2023, Schmidt set the record for being the longest serving manager in the history of German football.
Heidenheim's eighth-placed finish in 2023-24 also saw them qualify for the Conference League playoffs, and on August 22 the team won their first ever game in European competition 2-1 against Hacken.
Schmidt's side will contest the second leg on August 28, and if they manage to win the tie then they will qualify for the group stage of the Conference League.
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Team News
The hosts will be without goalkeeper Soren Ahlers due to a knee injury, as well as fellow shot-stopper Sascha Burchert.
St Pauli also have doubts about the fitness of forward Simon Zoller, and given his possible absence, Johannes Eggestein and Morgan Guilavogui can be expected to start up front.
As for the visitors, midfielder Thomas Keller and Julian Niehues are both out of contention because of cruciate ligament injuries and are not expected back until September and December respectively.
Leo Scienza is also a doubt after he was forced off in his side's win against Hacken.
Elsewhere, Patrick Mainka could captain the side in defence, and he may be joined by defenders Haktab Omar Traore, Benedikt Gimber and Jonas Fohrenbach.
St Pauli possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Mets; Stevens, Wagner, Irvine, Metcalfe, Treu; Eggestein, Guilavogui
Heidenheim possible starting lineup:
Muller; Traore, Mainka, Gimber, Fohrenbach; Beck, Maloney, Wanner, Thomalla; Pieringer, Breunig
We say: St Pauli 1-3 Heidenheim
Given the uncertainty surrounding St Pauli since the departure of Hurzeler, it would not be surprising if the hosts dropped points in their opening game of the campaign.
Additionally, Heidenheim come into Sunday's clash off the back of a confidence-boosting win in the Conference League qualifiers, and they should be favourites this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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