St. Pauli vs Hoffenheim prediction 28.10.2025 | DFB Pokal

St. Pauli are currently experiencing a difficult spell in the Bundesliga. Alexander Blessin’s side have suffered a damaging five-game losing streak in the league and now sit just three points above the relegation zone. Even more concerning is their lack of attacking output: they failed to score in four of those five defeats, highlighting a severe shortage of cutting edge in the final third. 

Overall, they have scored just 8 goals and conceded 14 across 8 league matches, which equates to conceding roughly once every 51 minutes. Their defensive record has been equally troubling, with only one clean sheet in that period - a statistic that will encourage a Hoffenheim side showing improved attacking form in recent weeks.

Ahead of the DFB-Pokal clash, St. Pauli remain without several important players. Fin Stevens, James Sands, Ricky-Jade Jones and David Nemeth are all unavailable due to injury, further limiting squad depth at a time when momentum is already fragile.

Hoffenheim’s underlying metrics this season are far more positive. Christian Ilzer’s team responded to a three-match winless run in the league with back-to-back victories over Heidenheim (3-1) and this upcoming cup opponent St. Pauli (3-0). As a result, Hoffenheim have positioned themselves within reach of the European qualification places, currently sitting just four points off the Champions League spots. However, their overall form has shown inconsistency. This season has already featured a 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, a convincing 4-2 win over Union Berlin, and just a week later a heavy 4-1 loss to Bayern Munich. These swings suggest that while the ceiling is high, stability is still a work in progress.

Nevertheless, their recent 3-0 victory over St. Pauli, combined with superior statistical efficiency in both chance creation and finishing, indicates that Hoffenheim enter this fixture with greater momentum and fewer structural issues than their opponents.

Arthur Chaves (head injury), Hennes Behrens (hamstring), Koki Machida (ACL), and Adam Hložek (broken ankle) are all listed as unavailable or doubtful ahead of the match.