Fabian Reese has taken a significant step towards acceptance at FC St. Pauli. The striker experienced no whistles from his own supporters for the first time during the 0:1 home defeat to VfL Wolfsburg. For the 28-year-old, this was a clear signal after facing rejection at other grounds in recent weeks.

Reese moved from VfL Wolfsburg to FC St. Pauli in the summer for a transfer fee of eight million euros, signing a contract until 2030. The forward brought experience from 250 second-division matches, gathered over 15 years at Holstein Kiel and three years at Hertha BSC. His first major moment in the Kiezkickers' shirt just missed the target. In the match against Wolfsburg, he hit the crossbar with a right-footed shot and moments later grazed the post with his left.

Strobl plays it down

Head coach Tobias Strobl took a relaxed view of the public discussion surrounding the new signing. "Wir wollen das Thema nichr größer machen, als es ist," the coach said after the match. For Reese himself, the atmosphere at the Millerntor Stadium was a turning point. "In Deutschland gibt es nur noch Held oder Hassfigur," the player commented on the polarising debate that had accompanied his transfer. Previously, he had encountered whistles in Altglienicke, hostility in Karlsruhe, and mockery against Energie Cottbus in away matches.

The sporting situation for FC St. Pauli remains tense. The defeat to Wolfsburg was already the fourth in a row, with the team from the Elbe in a difficult patch. In the 2. Bundesliga, the club currently sits in ninth place with six points from five games. Their recent form shows one draw and four losses in the last five outings. With seven goals scored and seven conceded, their goal difference is balanced.

Wahl receives applause

An emotional moment aside from the match action was the appearance of Hauke Wahl. The centre-back, who played for St. Pauli for three years, warmed up at the Millerntor and received applause from the stands. The scene highlighted the special connection between players and fans at Millerntor, which Reese is now gradually beginning to feel.

FC St. Pauli must now regain momentum after the international break. The next match is at home against Karlsruher SC on October 10th. The opponent currently occupies twelfth place in the table. For the Kiezkickers, the task is to break the negative streak and keep pace in the mid-table of the 2. Bundesliga.

Reese himself will be back in FC St. Pauli's attack after the international break. His contract binds him to the Hamburg club for another four years.

First reported at FAZ Sport