1. Main Players Comparison
St. Pauli:
- Departures: Treu (2G), Eggestein (4G, 3A), Boukhalfa (2G), Guilavogui (6G, 2A – left but re-added), Saad (3G, 2A), Van der Heyden, Weißhaupt.
- Remaining Core: Wahl (CB anchor), Smith (2-way CM), Irvine (6G), Afolayan (3G, 1A), Nemeth (solid CB), Vasilj (GK).
- Impact: Defensive structure solid but attack heavily weakened by departures of Saad, Eggestein & Boukhalfa. Irvine must carry load.
Dortmund:
- Departures: Gittens (8G, 3A, 1786 mins).
- Remaining Core: Guirassy (21G, 2A), Brandt (10A, 5G), Groß (10A), Beier (8G, 5A).
- Defense & GK: Kobel (elite GK), Schlotterbeck + Anton consistent, Ryerson versatile.
- Impact: Retains elite firepower, midfield depth, and defensive stability.
2. New Players Comparison
St. Pauli:
- Guilavogui (27, 6G, 2A) – re-signed, proven attacker.
- Pereira Lage (28, 2G, 7A) – creative midfielder, high assist output.
- Joel Chima Fujita (23, CM) – depth, not yet tested.
- Ricky-Jade Jones (22, CF) – pace option, unproven.
- Defensive reinforcements: Pyrka, Oppie, Robatsch – squad fillers.
- Impact: About 8G, 9A incoming – focused on midfield creativity.
Dortmund:
- Jobe Bellingham (19, CM) – prospect, long-term role.
- Patrick Drewes (32, GK, 1845 mins) – backup GK.
- Daniel Svensson (23, LM, 1G, 3A) – rotation option.
- Impact: Depth only, no major quality change to starting XI.
3. Substitutes Comparison
St. Pauli:
- Sinani (2G, 1A) – midfield rotation.
- Ritzka (1G) – LB cover.
- Afolayan (rotates XI/bench, 3G, 1A).
- Karol Mets, Dzwigala, Sands – defensive depth.
- Impact: Bench contributes sporadically (~6–7 goals, 5 assists).
Dortmund:
- Adeyemi (7G, 6A) – explosive winger, game-changer off bench.
- Nmecha (4G, 1A) – productive CM.
- Reyna (2G) – impact creator.
- Süle, Couto – defensive depth.
- Impact: Elite subs – ~15 goals, 10 assists available from bench.
4. Consolidated Quality Scorecard
Category | St. Pauli | Dortmund |
Main Players | ⭐⭐ (lost Eggestein, Saad, Boukhalfa) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Guirassy, Brandt, Groß, Beier) |
New Players | ⭐⭐⭐ (Guilavogui 6G, Lage 7A) | ⭐ (depth only, no XI changer) |
Substitutes | ⭐⭐ (Sinani, Afolayan, Ritzka rotation) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Adeyemi, Nmecha, Reyna) |
Attack | ⭐⭐ (Irvine + Guilavogui main options) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Guirassy 21G, Adeyemi, Brandt, Beier) |
Defense/GK | ⭐⭐⭐ (Wahl, Smith, Vasilj stable) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Kobel, Schlotterbeck, Anton) |
Overall Depth | Thin-Moderate | Elite |
Key Weakness | Lost most attacking support | None significant |
5. Predicted Outcome
Tactical Outlook:
- St. Pauli: Compact, defensive-minded, relying on Irvine’s late runs and Guilavogui/Pereira Lage’s creativity. Lack of a consistent 10+ goal striker weakens their threat.
- Dortmund: Dynamic frontline with Guirassy’s lethal finishing, Brandt’s playmaking, and Adeyemi’s speed from the bench. Strong GK + defense.
Expected Scoreline:
- St. Pauli 0 – 2 Borussia Dortmund (St. Pauli competitive but Dortmund’s squad depth and finishing are decisive).
