Friday19:30

Millerntor-Stadion

"Everyone can see the situation in the table and knows what an important match it is. It doesn't give us anything talking about it, however. We have to focus on how to win the match, prepare as best we can and be fully on it mentally."

Alexander Blessin on Holsten Kiel

"We know how tough it's going to be. It'll be a battle for every blade of grass, and we have to be ready. Kiel have done well to hold their own in recent games and they've been unlucky at times. Against Mainz they didn't perform as well as they can. It's the same for us – if we don't give 100 per cent, we'll struggle against any opposition. We went into the season aiming to go to the limit every time. If we do that, we have a chance of beating anyone."

Defensive advantage?

Pauli start the encounter one spot above Kiel in 16th, but having conceded half the number of goals (14 to 28).

St. Pauli's serious shifts

No side in the Bundesliga has covered as much ground as Pauli so far this season - 1334 kilometres. Kiel are bottom of that metric on 1067km.

1:06

Watch: Holstein Kiel 3-4 St. Pauli - previous meeting

Oladapo Afolayan struck twice in the seven-goal thriller in Bundesliga 2 in February. Pauli also won 5-1 at home.

Nicolai Remberg on St. Pauli

The Kiel midfielder had this to say after Kiel's 3-0 defeat to Mainz: "We now have to focus on the game against St. Pauli. We know where we stand. But it's not all over if we lose on Friday. We have to keep going."