Union Berlin welcome Bundesliga 2 outfits St Pauli to An der alten Forsterei for the opening tie of the quarterfinals of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday night with kickoff at 22:45.
Union berlin began their DFB-Pokal campaign in the first round beating Turkgucu Munchen before picking up a 3-2 extra time victory over Waldhof Mannheim in the second round. They then face city rivals and fellow Bundesliga outfits Hertha Berlin in the last-16 last month, claiming a 3-2 victory to book place in the quarter-finals.
The hosts will be determined to change their fortunes in the competition this time around as the Iron Ones have never won the DFB-Pokal and have failed to get past the quarter-finals ever since reaching the finals in 2001, where they lost to Schalke 04.
However Urs Fischer’s side have a chance to make it to the last four of the cup this season as they are coming up against a second tier oppositions and they possess a good form over St Pauli when playing at home, having gone unbeaten in their last seven encounters at An der alten Forsterei. They are coming off a 3-1 confidence-boosting victory against Mainz in the Bundesliga.
St Pauli on the other hand, have been impressive in the DFB-Pokal with the team carrying out one of their biggest upsets in the recent cup history as they beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the last-16 of the competition. They had earlier seen off FC Magdenburg and Dynamo Dresden in the first and second rounds.
This is the first time the Saints are playing in the quarter-finals of the tournament and they will be looking to extend their run in the cup as they test their mettle against another top-flight opposition.
The last time the two met St Pauli claimed a 3-2 victory in a Bundesliga 2 tie back in 2019 and will want to replicate the result as they aim at booking a place in the last four. They will draw confidence from their 3-1 win over Ingolstadt in the second tier last weekend.
Union Berlin vs St Pauli head to head
Both sides have met in 24 encounters since 2002 with Union Berlin claiming 11 victories while St Pauli have claimed seven victories and there have been six draws.
- St Pauli 3-2 Union Berlin 04/02/19
- Union Berlin 4-1 St Pauli 26/08/18
- St Pauli 0-1 Union Berlin 14/04/18
- Union Berlin 1-0 St Pauli 04/11/17
- St Pauli 1-2 Union Berlin 10/03/17
Home
- Union Berlin 3-1 Mainz
- Bielefeld 1=- Union Berlin
- Union Berlin 0-3 Dortmund
- Augsburg 2-0 Union Berlin
- Union Berlin 0-0 Widzew Lodz
Away
- Ingolstadt 1-3 St Pauli
- St Pauli 0-3 Hannover
- Jahn Regensburg 2-3 St Pauli
- St Pauli 2-2 Paderborn
- Hamburg 2-1 St Pauli
Union Berlin team news
Union Berlin have no injury or suspension concerns ahead of the clash.
St Pauli team news
St Pauli will be without Marcel Hartel, Ettiene Amenyindo, Christopher Avevor, James Lawrence, Sebastian Ohlsson and Jannes Luca Wieckhoff due to injuries while Eric Smith is a doubt.
Prediction and odds
- Union Berlin win
- Both sides to score
- Goals over 2.5
