On Saturday, FC St. Pauli will face TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in a crucial matchup as both teams struggle in the Bundesliga. St. Pauli hopes to secure their second win of the season, banking on Morgan Guilavogui’s recent goal in the DFB-Pokal to ignite his scoring touch. The club has also launched a “Game Changer” espresso, which coincidentally became available just before Guilavogui’s first goal for the team. Coach Alexander Blessin remains confident in his players despite their weak offensive record, urging them to capitalize on their efforts. With a win, St. Pauli can surpass Hoffenheim in the standings.
FC St. Pauli faces a crucial relegation battle against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday. The Hamburg team aims for their second victory of the season in Sinsheim, hoping that Morgan Guilavogui, who previously struggled to score in the Bundesliga, has finally found his scoring touch following a recent goal in the DFB-Pokal.
This week, FC St. Pauli has expanded its already substantial range of fan merchandise by introducing a highly sought-after coffee specialty. The club has partnered with a local roastery to offer a ‘Game Changer’ espresso. It remains unconfirmed whether Guilavogui stocked up on this popular drink right after its launch, but it’s certainly a possibility.
Shortly after the release of the ‘Game Changer’ espresso, Guilavogui, who had previously faced a scoring drought, netted his first competitive goal for St. Pauli. In the DFB-Pokal match against ‘Brauseclub’ RB Leipzig on Tuesday, where St. Pauli lost 2-4, the loan player from RC Lens scored to make it 1-2.
Moreover, the 26-year-old also assisted Eric Smith’s goal, bringing the score to 2-3, leading to heightened hopes at Millerntor that Guilavogui’s performance against Leipzig could mark a turning point.
In the away game against TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday (3:30 PM, live updates available), the Guinea international will aim to score his first Bundesliga goal.
Fans and members of the Hamburg club can also acquire shares, priced at €850 each as stated by the club.
Blessin on Guilavogui: ‘He always gives 100%’
Coach Alexander Blessin never doubted the abilities of his striker, despite Guilavogui’s seven games without a goal. After the match in Leipzig, the coach expressed his relief and happiness about Guilavogui’s first goal. ‘It was the reward for his hard work. He gives his all in every training session and match,’ praised the 51-year-old coach.
‘Morgan puts in the effort and gives everything. I was confident he would find the net soon, and he delivered a great performance,’ Blessin added, noting that this goal would bolster Guilavogui’s confidence.
St. Pauli struggles with the weakest Bundesliga offense
In addressing the challenges faced by his attacking players ahead of the match against Hoffenheim, St. Pauli’s coach acknowledged the club’s statistical status as the weakest offense in the Bundesliga, having only scored five goals in eight matches. Yet, Blessin remains optimistic about his ‘attack division’.
‘I’m currently satisfied with my strikers. They work hard and just need to start converting their chances. I believe in these guys and trust them,’ explained the coach.
Eggestein and others still seeking their first goals
As a former striker himself, including time at Hoffenheim, Blessin understands the significance of scoring for forwards. He empathizes especially with Johannes Eggestein, Andreas Albers, Simon Zoller, and Maurides, all of whom are yet to net this season, with Zoller and Maurides still waiting for their first minutes of play this season.
Whether this duo will play a part in the remainder of the season for St. Pauli remains uncertain, and it seems likely that the Hamburg club will seek to acquire another forward during the winter transfer window.
Kiezclub can overtake Hoffenheim in the standings
In the meantime, Blessin will need to accumulate points to avoid relegation using the resources he has at hand. He believes the team should have earned more points by now. ‘If we had four more points, everything would be fine, and we would have deserved it,’ said Blessin.
He noted that only two matches so far could be considered ‘wasted’. In the other six, his team has demonstrated their capability to compete in the Bundesliga. ‘We need to pick up the points we lost in those games elsewhere. We always want to win the next match, and that’s this one against Hoffenheim,’ he stated.
A victory would allow St. Pauli to match TSG on points and potentially push them down to the 15th spot in the table. This prospect should motivate the northern German team on their long away trip. Should they arrive in Sinsheim feeling fatigued, they can rely on the ‘Game Changer’ espresso to perk them up…