FC St. Pauli

Admittedly, if we look at the overall record, the visitors could have more grounds for optimism. The Betzenberg outfit have won 18 of the previous 30 competitive matches between the two sides, with the Boys in Brown claiming just eight. Four games have ended all square. The first clash, a 1-1 draw, was way back in 1949, by the way. If we take these figures as our yardstick, then, it's going to be tight tomorrow. But wait! The last three meetings have all gone in favour of St. Pauli.

Statistics aside, what really matters is what happens on the pitch. And recent performances by the visitors demand our respect. Three wins and two draws from their last five matches have lifted Tayfun Korkut's team out of the drop zone and into mid-table. Yet the FCK boss is far from satisfied, saying his players still have room for improvement. "We've done a lot of things right recently but not everything. We now have another chance to do that at the Millerntor," the 42-year-old told journalists before setting off for Hamburg.

For his part, at the pre-match press conference Ewald Lienen named the visitors as role models when it came to getting out of trouble in the table. "Kaiserslautern are a good example of what can be achieved if you stick together, stay patient and work hard," he said. Lienen will be without several players on Friday, however. Christopher Buchtmann, Jan-Philipp Kalla, Philipp Ziereis, Jeremy Dudziak, Brian Koglin and Maurice Litka will all watch the game from the stands.

They will not be alone. A sell-out crowd of 29,546, most of whom will be roaring on the Boys in Brown, will stand alongside them. As so often before, the fans will sing their hearts out in an attempt to ensure all three points stay at the Millerntor. Few will be bothered about how that comes about, as long as it does. A win is a win, after all.

Photo: Witters