FC St. Pauli

The Boys in Brown completed a busy seven-match January by continuing their upward trend with another three points at Heidenheim last Sunday. Left-back Leart Paqarada has been a factor in this, not only by showing tenacity in the tackle but also by making his presence felt in attack. "It's been an energy-sapping month but because we're on an upward trend everything comes a little easier. We're having a lot of fun together, so you cope with it better," said Paqarada, who has started all seven games.

"The boss has placed his faith in me and I'm trying to pay him back with good performances on the pitch. I feel my confidence is growing with every game," said the left-back, who was the best tackler (84.6 per cent of duels won) in the thrilling 4-3 win at Heidenheim. "The recent confidence boost has had an effect on our tackling and the way you go into the challenge, he said by way of explanation. Yet he has also made an important contribution up front with a barrage of attacking forays and well-timed crosses, including the ball in that led to the winning goal in the 3-2 victory at Hannover underlined.

The left-back goes into Friday's game looking to build on his recent performances and is fired up for the meeting with his former club. "I can't wait," said Paqarada, desperate for revenge for the 1-0 loss in the reverse fixture. "That defeat still bugs me even now," he added. Sandhausen proved awkward opposition that day and Paqarada expects nothing different in the return: "They're extremely difficult to play against and they won a key game against Nürnberg last time out, which will have given them some momentum. The onus is now on us to stifle that momentum on Friday evening."

Given the recent improvement in form, Paqarada is in upbeat mood going into the game. It is a clash between two teams in equal need of the points, but the left-back feels he is under no more pressure than usual. "There's no extra pressure because every game counts," he said. "A win at Heidenheim is at least as important as a win would be on Friday night. Three points would put some distance between us and a direct competitor. That's positive pressure and it's actually good for the team. The lads can handle it, as they've demonstrated in recent weeks."

So what has to happen to ensure the reunion with his former teammates ends on a positive note? Paqarada: "We have to continue being brave going forward but also find the right balance to keep our shape and stabilise our defence. We want to play with the elan we've shown in recent weeks. That creativity and whole-hearted style of football has been our hallmark recently."

Photos: Witters