“A bit annoying”: How St. Pauli goalkeeper Vasilj processed the derby bankruptcy

Reaching behind four times is not nice for any goalkeeper. Especially not when it comes to local rivals. And especially not if you are beaten by your own teammate when you concede the last goal. For St. Pauli keeper Nikola Vasilj, the frustration over the 3: 4 at HSV including an own goal by Jakov Medic did not last too long.

“Losing against your city rivals is a bit annoying,” admits Vasilj: “But it didn’t take me long to get over it.” And this, according to the goalkeeper, actually applies to the entire team: “We were right on it next game focused. That’s why I think we won against Bielefeld.”

“Roller coaster ride”: This is how goalkeeper Vasilj sees the St. Pauli season

While HSV, as is well known, turned in a different direction in game one after the derby… But St. Pauli also knows enough about changes of direction. A first half of the season in need of relegation, the sensational series of ten wins in the second half of the season in a row, then the disillusionment against Braunschweig and the shaky defense in the derby – not without good reason, Vasilj speaks of a “roller coaster ride” when looking at the course of the season

Stability is the most important thing in football – and at the same time the most difficult

“The most important thing is to maintain stability,” exclaims the St. Pauli goalkeeper as a motto: “At the same time, the most difficult thing in football is to remain stable in a season. We improved in the second half of the season and we want to keep it that way next season.”

“We’re going to Darmstadt to win”

There is no better test of the stability they may have regained against Bielefeld than a game with the leaders. Vasilj braces himself for St. Pauli’s game at Darmstadt 98. “I’m always ready for work,” says St. Pauli’s number one: “We’re going there to win. We want to keep our stability and then we’ll see.”

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Should they win in Darmstadt, will St. Pauli look up again, in third place? “Anything is possible in football,” says Vasilj: “But we want to tackle it game by game. We want to win as many as possible and then see where we end up at the end.” He and his teammates have been saying that since the start of the second half of the season; since they started winning games. There is a certain stability in the statements. However, they didn’t do badly with it.