This season has been marked by the continual absence of key figures at Hamburg, who at one point had the equivalent of an entire starting eleven out through injury. And when the light appeared at the end of the tunnel, Armin Veh was deprived of a defensive stalwart in Joris Mathijsen. However, the Dutchman is set to make a return and his significance for the team's fortunes was not lost on his coach:
"We are convinced that Joris Mathijsen is fit and that he will be able to help us. He is an important player for us," Veh told the pre-match press conference.
Mathijsen's timing is spot on for not only does it come ahead of a crucial derby game for both sides but the former AZ and Willem II defender will be pressed into action as a replacement for Gojko Kacar. The Serbia international was red carded in last week's tame surrender at the hands of Nuernberg. HSV captain Heiko Westermann may have won the most duels this season but he will be a lot more assured now that the first-choice central-defensive axis has been restored.
The first derby of the season promised much beforehand but failed to live up to the hype and sense of occasion. St Pauli looked to be heading for a famous win until Mladen Petric denied them in the closing stages. Petric, despite all his talent and pedigree, has been unable to win a regular spot in the team but he will start up front tomorrow.
"Whoever is not up for this game is in the wrong job. It is one of the most beautiful games. A derby - and that at home in front of your own fans - if you don't show any heart there then you have none."
"In any case, Mladen Petric will start. It was a mistake that I waited so long to bring him on in the reverse fixture," Veh admitted candidly.
Fifteenth Place Is Ours!
Before last week's relegation six-pointer between St Pauli and FC Koeln at the Millerntor, Pauli were looking to move up to fifteenth place and away from the relegation spots. Never a club for subtlety, the front page of the match programme showed St Pauli shoving Koeln aside, accompanied by the caption: "Fifteenth Place Is Ours!".
Of course, it's easier to look back fondly on such things as der Kiezclub gave perhaps their best performance of the season and brushed die Geissboecke aside in a superb 3-0 victory. The home side were hungrier and more dynamic, with Charles Takyi proving too much for the visiting defence to handle. Coach Holger Stanislawski is looking for his side to continue where they left off.
"I think that we will see a completely different game from both teams. Both teams will be going all out for the win and the three points," Stanislawski remarked in a good natured pre-game press conference.
Stanislawski has a number of injury worries, especially in defence and while Gerald Asamoah has been a excellent stand-in for Marius Ebbers, the potential absence of Bastian Oczipka is a worry. The 41-year old has already prepared for the worst-case scenario should the situation deteriorate further:
"We have a few ailing and injured players at the moment and it currently looks as if Oczipka is a doubt. However, on Sunday we will line-up with eleven players at the kick off. Truller (assistant coach Andre Trulsen), KaPe (goalkeeping coach Klaus-Peter Nemet) and I will be on the bench in the case of an emergency."
TEAM NEWS
Hamburg
Armin Veh is without the suspended Gojko Kacar, who was red carded for a professional foul last week in Nuernberg. Dennis Diekmeier and Romeo Castelen are also unavailable for selection. Heung-Min Son will probably not be employed as he recovers from the Asia Cup but Marcell Jansen could play down the left wing. Guy Demel has recovered from his ankle problem and he is joined in the defence by Joris Mathijsen, who is making his comeback.
Probable Starting XI: Rost - Demel, Westermann, Mathijsen, Aogo - Ben-Hatira, Jarolim, Ze Roberto, Elia - Petric, van Nistelrooy
St Pauli
Holger Stanislawski is without a number of players, most notably striker Marius Ebbers, still out with an abdominal strain. Ebbers is joined on the sidelines by defensive quartet Fabio Morena, Jan-Philipp Kalla, Florian Lechner and Carsten Rothenbach. Florian Bruns is a doubt as is Bastian Oczipka with former Fulham full-back Moritz Volz on standby for the impressive young left-back on loan from Leverkusen.
Probable Starting XI: Kessler - Thorandt, Zambrano, Gunesch, Oczipka (Volz) - Boll, Lehmann - Kruse, Takyi, Bartels - Asamoah
Prediction
As both coaches have said in the build-up, this should be a more open game than the first derby earlier in the season. St Pauli are on a high and will give it a go in attack. Hamburg have underperformed after the winter break and not been consistent but in front of 55,000 and with Mladen Petric back in the team, with something to prove, they should nick the three points.
Hamburg 2-1 FC St. Pauli 
