FC St. Pauli

No team really knew where they stood when the league campaign resumed last weekend after more than two months out of action due to the coronavirus pandemic. The final results included a number of surprises, with only Erzgebirge Aue of the teams in the top half in the table taking all three points. The Boys in Brown, who started the day in 11th place, moved into that same top half thanks to the 1-0 home win over Nürnberg. And that is where they aim to stay after the game at Darmstadt.

Darmstadt, for their part, went to next-to-bottom Karlsruhe looking to extend an impressive ten-game unbeaten run. But they were stopped in their tracks, as the home side KSC had the better day to condemn the Lilies to their first defeat in more than five months. Not since 1 December 2019 and the 3-1 defeat against league leaders Arminia Bielefeld had Darmstadt left the pitch empty-handed.

Saturday's meeting at the empty Merck Stadium is thus a clash of two teams in different moods. The Lilies will be out to return to winning ways after last week's setback, while the Boys in Brown, unbeaten in five after victories against HSV, Osnabrück and Nürnberg plus draws against Sandhausen and Dresden, are intent on maintaining their upward trend.

If we look at the stats, however, Saturday's trip to the Böllenfalltor would appear to come at an inopportune time, as the Boys in Brown have taken just two points from their last eight visits since 1985. The last four all ended in defeat. The stats count for nothing on Saturday, though, and there will be everything to play for when the game kicks off at 13:00 CET.

Much will depend on how well the two teams are able to come to terms with the unaccustomed conditions once again and perform to their full potential. The Boys in Brown go into the game on a roll, however, and looking forward to extending their run to six games without a defeat.

Photos: Witters