FC St. Pauli

"We face a very difficult challenge," began Janßen. "Braunschweig are a force at home. Marc Arnold and Torsten Lieberknecht have been doing a good job with the team for many years. They're in the running at the top end of the table every year and you simply have to take your hat off to them. We need to be ready for an extremely tough battle. They're the league's best team when it comes to switching the play, so it's going to be a severe examination."

After the recent spate of injuries Janßen had some positive news to report. "There are good tidings on the injury front," he said. "Aziz Bouhaddouz is training normally again as is Christopher Buchtmann, who has trained all week. Both are candidates for a place on the bench, though neither is at 100%, of course. It's important for them to be healthy when they play." Marc Hornschuh and Mats Møller Dæhli remain sidelined. "Mats is back running again and not feeling any pain. Both could resume full training during the international break."

The Boys in Brown have fond memories of Braunschweig after a win there back in February proved the launchpad for an impressive run of form in the second half of the season. "We have to focus on our current game plan and give it all we've got from the outset," said Janßen in this respect. "Past results aren't much use to us now. That said, that game did have a fundamental effect. Winning there was very important mentally after a decent performance against Stuttgart in a game we were unlucky to lose. It gave us a huge confidence boost." The St. Pauli boss has made out a similar effect after the recent run of three matches in eight days. "Our performances have been very stable, especially as far as the team's mental approach and character are concerned, so I'm very pleased with the attitude and will of the players. Nevertheless, there are still things we need to work on. We've been making life difficult for ourselves and we lack the necessary punch here and there."

Braunschweig go into Sunday's game with a weakened team after having three players sent off last time out, but Janßen was clear in his assessment: "Mirko Boland and Salim Khelifi are two players with definite quality and Christoffer Nyman is injured as well but I'm not giving it a great deal of attention. There's enough depth in the squad for them to field eleven established second-division players. We're looking forward to the challenge."

Photos: Witters