FC St. Pauli Faces Striker Injuries Ahead of Winter Break

FC St. Pauli, currently threatened by relegation in the Bundesliga, heads into the winter break facing significant challenges with both of their lead strikers injured. Dutch forward Martijin Kaars, who played a pivotal role in ending the team’s lengthy winless streak against Heidenheim last weekend, was unable to start in their recent match against Mainz 05. This marks the seventh league fixture of the season in which St. Pauli has failed to find the back of the net.

Kaars’ counterpart, Hountondji, has been undergoing rehabilitation for a thigh injury and chose to decline a call-up to represent Benin in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. Upon returning to the starting lineup to substitute for Kaars, Hountondji was forced to exit the match in the 58th minute due to ankle problems. St. Pauli’s head coach, Alexander Blessin, acknowledged at the post-match press conference that the 23-year-old has been battling multiple minor injuries.

Blessin also confirmed that Kaars is scheduled for an MRI on Monday, which will provide further insight into a muscle injury affecting his adductor area. Depending on the results, a muscle-cluster tear or a more severe injury could sideline the 26-year-old for approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Should both Hountondji and Kaars be unavailable when Bundesliga play resumes on January 9th, St. Pauli may need to seek additional attacking options during the upcoming January transfer window.