FC St. Pauli

Stuttering restart

Like the Boys in Brown, Erzgebirge Aue signed off into the winter break on a high by inflicting the first defeat of the season on Union Berlin. Since the resumption, however, their fortunes have changed. Defeats against Magdeburg (0-1) and Ingolstadt (0-3) and the postponed home game against Cologne mean Aue are the only side apart from Dresden, who have lost three out of three, yet to garner a point this year. Every other team has tasted victory at least once.

Goalgetter

Aue have scored 25 goals so far this season, with Pascal Testroet contributing no fewer than 11. One of those strikes came in the reverse fixture against the Boys in Brown. The Aue striker hit the net eight times in five games before the winter break, including a hat-trick in the 3-0 home win over Union Berlin in the last game before Christmas, but has yet to register this year.

Offside failings

While Arminia Bielefeld players are caught offside just over once a game on average (24 times in 21 games), the referee's assistants are kept much busier when Aue are in action. The Violets lead the way by some distance in this category, having been flagged offside 64 times in 20 matches, nine more than second-ranked Greuther Fürth on 55. The main culprit is Pascal Testroet, who has been pulled back 25 times. Only Fürth striker Daniel Keita-Ruel has strayed offside more often (34 times). By comparison, the Boys in Brown have been sprung offside 45 times, with Sami Allagui (16) the worst offender.

Record victory

On 8 December 2018 the Violets achieved their record away win, a 5-0 success at Greuther Fürth. Their previous best had been three 5-1 wins at Alemannia Aachen (2005 and 2011) and RW Essen (2004). Aue's biggest victory in the second division came at home on 24 February 2008, a 6-0 thrashing of SC Paderborn.

Defensive work

Although the Violets had to pick the ball out of the net three times against Ingolstadt last weekend, they boast the fifth meanest defence in the league, having conceded just 27 times to date. Daniel Meyer's side are particularly difficult to break down in the early stages of both halves. Keeper Martin Männel has been beaten just four times (twice in each half) in that phase of the game. Only Union Berlin have been harder to breach in the same period, conceding just three goals.

Favourite opposition

You don't seek them out, but they exist, all the same. The teams you make a habit of beating to such an extent they become known as your favourite opposition. At second division level the Boys in Brown have a favourable win record against the likes of Dynamo Dresden (6 wins in 11 games) and MSV Duisburg (11 wins in 21 games). Aue, on the other hand, have collected more victories against St. Pauli than any other current Bundesliga 2 side, winning eight of the 15 encounters as opposed to just two ending in favour of the Boys in Brown. Our last success was a 2-0 away win in December 2013. At home we have won just once, the first meeting between the two sides at the Millerntor on 2 May 2008, a game that ended 4-2.

Photos: Witters/Eibner