VfL Wolfsburg vs. FC St. Pauli preview: Six-pointer at the start of 2026

VFL WOLFSBURG

VfL Wolfsburg (4-3-9, 15th) went into 2026 with a lot of hope, even despite finishing 2025 with a thrilling 3-4 defeat to SC Freiburg. Head coach of the under-19 team, Daniel Bauer, was hired to the full-time managerial job with the senior team in late December, after two successive 3-1 victories against Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Union Berlin - having finished 2-1-2 in his interim term.

That hope came to a crashing halt last weekend, as Wolfsburg went from a 1-1 tie on a Dženan Pejčinović equaliser in the thirteenth minute, and 1-2 behind at halftime, to 1-8 at the full-time whistle against reigning Bundesliga champions FC Bayern München.

Bauer was quoted in the post-match press conference as saying that “the second half was not what we envisioned”, that the team “lost too many challenges at the break and we did not support each other too well defensively”, and that “we have to apologize to our traveling fans for that”.

Bauer also stated that Wolfsburg needs to “build on [their first half performance], quickly put the result behind us, while at the same time being very critical of ourselves”.

The next three matches are easier than Bayern and also teams that Wolfsburg are above in the Bundesliga table - FC St. Pauli, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846, and 1. FSV Mainz 05; this means that this is Bauer’s window to both experiment with his formation and talents, while also picking up at least six points from nine to get right back into the mid-table battle.

Regarding this upcoming match, the 43-year-old from Andernach, Rheinland-Pfalz, said, “We haven't discussed the Bayern game at all today (Tuesday). We spoke about it yesterday but decided to turn our attention towards St. Pauli. It was an extremely painful defeat, but we have a huge opportunity to get a positive result and three points from our first home game in 2026.”

Although Mohamed Amoura has returned to training following Algeria’s quarterfinal exit at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, he is not projected to start in the XI until Saturday’s match with 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 at the earliest. Dženan Pejčinović, who scored four goals in his last two matches with Amoura away, is likely to take the forward spot in the projected 4-2-3-1 formation. If the 20-year-old German forward performs well this week, then this could create competition - since Amoura can also only play at striker in a 4-2-3-1.

Yannick Gerhardt is also projected to take his spot back from Mattias Svanberg at CDM, after the Swedish international started against Bayern and played 64 minutes - and Aaron Zehnter is also expected to replace Kilian Fischer at LB, after the latter scored an own goal in the fifth minute at the Allianz Arena.

Bauer was also asked about Brazilian defensive midfielder Vinicius Souza, who was seen during the Bayern match taking off his training vest and heading down the tunnel to the Wolfsburg locker room. He clarified this situation as nothing serious: “Well, first of all, I can definitely understand the frustration when a player does not get any playing time … to be honest, Vini actually had to go to the toilet for a moment - it was not that he fled, rather it was about a very short-term human need”.

Bauer said about the hypothetical situation where a player gets frustrated: “As I said, it is normal for a player to be upset when he does not play. The players should always have that fire”.

“What is always important to me is the reaction during training, the reaction in the locker room, and there, yes, Vini trained well yesterday. Denis Vavro also trained very well. And that fire must be, and will be, one of our strengths - regardless of our setbacks, we as a team just need to remain strong and stay together as one”.

Team News:

VfL Wolfsburg have seven injuries/absences that they are tending to, but two of those players are to return within the next week and another three by the end of the month. Dutch centre-back Jenson Seelt (flu) will miss the match. Danish right winger/right midfielder Andreas Skov Olsen (muscle) is expected to return by next week at the earliest - this coming at the same time as rumours linking him to Scottish Premiership side Rangers FC.

German goalkeeper Marius Müller (concussion), Brazilian left-back Rogério (muscle), Danish left-back/left midfielder Joakim Mæhle (shoulder), and Danish striker Jonas Wind (hip) are all expected to return in the final week of January at the earliest. Hungarian defensive midfielder/central midfielder Bence Dárdai (cruciate ligament) will not return to the squad until training camp for the 2026/27 season - the injury he suffered in November will affect his ability to play for, or train with, the club until at least mid-July.

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Grabara - Zehnter, Koulierakis, Jenz, Kumbedi - Gerhardt, Arnold - Wimmer, Majer, Eriksen - Pejčinović.

FC ST. PAULI

After ending a ten-match winless streak with a 2-1 victory against 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in early December, FC St. Pauli (3-3-9, 16th) finished 2025 with a scoreless draw against the other team currently in the relegation zone, 1. FSV Mainz 05. Both teams landed just one shot on target in that match, with the possession category swinging slightly in Mainz’s favour (52%).

St. Pauli have not led in the main statistical categories against any of their last four Bundesliga opponents, with the last time being 23. November against 1. FC Union Berlin (9-6 shots, 4-2 on target, 52% possession) - yet they have managed at least a point in three of those four, and against a Wolfsburg side returning home from a 1-8 defeat to Bayern, this might be their best chance in a while to statistically dominate against a team currently at their level.

Alexander Blessin, whose side started the 2025/26 campaign strong and are looking to get back into a decent run of form, said about the upcoming match at the Volkswagen Arena: “We cannot be misled by the result from Sunday [Wolfsburg defeat]. Wolfsburg did quite well in the first half”.

The 52-year-old from Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg added: “These kind of things [blowout results] can happen - and it has happened a few times before. Sometimes Bayern are unstoppable. Wolfsburg will also want to respond - we will need to stand up to them and give our everything.”

The formation for St. Pauli is expected to shift from a 3-3-2-2 to a flat 3-5-2, with Adam Dźwigała expected to be replaced by Eric Smith at centre-back; Smith was suspended for the Mainz match after picking up a red card in the forty-fifth minute of the prior match with 1. FC Heidenheim 1846.

Because of Andréas Hountondji’s injury following the Mainz match - determined to be a hairline fracture in his left ankle - Martijn Kaars is expected to return to one of the two centre-forward positions, likely on the right side with Mathias Pereira Lage taking his usual spot on the left.The 26-year-old Dutchman has three goals in his last three appearances, two against Heidenheim and the other against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Team News:

The list of injuries for FC St. Pauli is very short - only three to note at the moment. Austrian goalkeeper Simon Spari (ankle) will be absent until late January, as will Austrian centre-back David Nemeth (tendon). Beninese striker / winger Andréas Hountondji (ankle fracture) is the only longer-term injury in the club, and he is projected not to return to the matchday squad until the final week of April at the earliest.

Projected Lineup (3-5-2): Vasilj - Mets, Smith, Wahl - Oppie, Irvine, Sands, Fujita, Pyrka - Pereira Lage, Kaars.