Hauke Finn Wahl returns to the Millerntor with VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday at 20:30, the ground where he played for FC St. Pauli between 2023 and this summer. The 32-year-old centre back moved to the Wolves for a fee of just under two million euros, having helped the Kiezclub win promotion to the Bundesliga in 2024 and stay up in the 2024-25 season.
From promotion hero to summer exit
Wahl arrived at the Millerntor from Holstein Kiel in 2023 and had signed a long-term contract extension with St. Pauli, as the club announced at the time. In the Bundesliga campaign that followed, St. Pauli picked up seven points from their opening four matches, but they were relegated on the final matchday, losing 1-3 to none other than VfL Wolfsburg.
After a holiday following relegation, Wahl decided to join Wolfsburg. He described the club as having far greater financial power than St. Pauli and pointed to both sporting ambition and financial reasons behind the move. He wants to help the Werksclub return to the Bundesliga and admitted he felt restless during the negotiation period.
Emotional words ahead of the reunion
Speaking to reportersschau, Wahl was open about his bond with Hamburg and the Kiez. "Hamburg has always been my home, but St. Pauli has become that too," said the defender, who is known to fans and teammates as "Haui." He said home matches every other weekend had been the highlight of his week.
On his time at the Millerntor, Wahl added: "I believe I gave everything for the club for three years, and not only on the pitch, but beyond that too." He hopes for a respectful reception from St. Pauli supporters and mentioned the stadium anthem "Song 2," which he would rather not hear if Wolfsburg perform poorly. He also referred to the entrance song "Hells Bells" and the confetti as part of the special Millerntor atmosphere.
St. Pauli chasing a first win
The match matters on the pitch too. FC St. Pauli sit 15th in the 2. Bundesliga with 3 points from four games, still without a win, having scored six and conceded seven. Their last outing ended 2-2 at Arminia Bielefeld, with Toma Hara and Andreas Ceesay scoring for the Kiezclub. Fans can check who is currently available in the squad, and the full table is available in the standings.
VfL Wolfsburg arrive with 8 points from four matches, though their form has been shaky: they led Energie Cottbus 3-0 before the game finished 4-4. Wahl has captained Wolfsburg in some matches and led a post-match debrief with teammates on the pitch after that draw. Full scoring details for both sides this season are available in the stats section.
After facing Wolfsburg, St. Pauli travel to Energie Cottbus, currently 11th, on 20 September, with the coming fixtures listed on the fixtures page. Saturday's match at the Millerntor will be shown on the NDR Livecenter.
