News Focus
- FC St. Pauli drop to 17th place after a 2-1 loss to Mainz with only two league matches remaining this season
- Manager Alexander Blessin refuses to step down despite growing pressure from frustrated fans at the Millerntor-Stadion
- The 52-year-old urges supporters to direct their anger towards him rather than the players during this difficult period
- Club president Oke Göttlich confirms the board retains full confidence in Blessin’s leadership
- The Hamburg side face a challenging trip to RB Leipzig before a decisive final-day clash against relegation rivals Wolfsburg
FC St. Pauli are facing the threat of immediate relegation from the Bundesliga following a damaging 2-1 home defeat to Mainz on Sunday afternoon. The result leaves the club stranded in 17th position with just two games left to secure their survival in Germany’s top flight.
Supporters expressed their disappointment loudly after the final whistle, with many directing their anger at head coach Alexander Blessin. However, the 52-year-old has made it clear he has no intention of leaving his position voluntarily.
“Our fans give absolutely everything for this club, so they have every right to boo me. I can accept that and I can take the criticism,” Blessin told Hamburger Abendblatt. “But they should focus their frustration on me, not on the team. The players need our full support right now. People can judge my performance later.”
The German coach believes resigning would only harm the club’s chances of staying up. “I am not going to throw in the towel. I remain convinced we can achieve survival together. If I believed changing the manager would help the situation, I would have already spoken to Andreas Bornemann. I simply do not think that would solve our problems,” he stated.
St. Pauli president Oke Göttlich has also backed Blessin, confirming to the same publication that the club has no plans to dismiss their manager during this critical stage of the campaign.
The Hamburg outfit currently sits level on points with VfL Wolfsburg, who occupy the relegation playoff spot in 16th place. Blessin’s side must travel to Champions League hopefuls RB Leipzig next, before hosting Wolfsburg in what promises to be a tense final-day relegation six-pointer at home.
The coach emphasised that unity is now essential. “We can only get through this together as a group. We must also work hard to minimise individual mistakes,” he added.