Joel Fujita remains a puzzling absentee for FC St. Pauli. The 24-year-old Japanese international was an unused substitute for the entire 2-2 draw at Arminia Bielefeld continuing a period of limited involvement for the valuable midfielder.

The situation is notable for a player valued at €10 million. A desired summer transfer did not materialize, and now Fujita must fight for his place in a team sitting 14th in the 2. Bundesliga. With just three points from four games and a goal difference of -1, St. Pauli urgently needs more consistency.

Why isn't Joel Fujita playing?

Head coach Marcel Rapp has clear reasons for his selections. Against Bielefeld, he trusted the holding midfield duo of Eric Smith (29) and Mathias Rasmussen (28). "Eric and Matti are doing well, so there was no reason to change," said Rapp. "Of course, you can bring him on later." The opponent's tactical approach also played a part. Rapp explained: "Bielefeld played many long balls, so the risk for me was greater that we would have to defend a set-piece rather than set footballing accents. That's why for those few minutes Sam was the better player than Joel." He was referring to the Australian Sam Klein (22), who was brought on for his physical presence.

What has Fujita's role at St. Pauli been?

Fujita's record with the Kiezkicker is actually solid. He has made 32 Bundesliga appearances, 31 of them as a starter. He also has eight caps for Japan. This season, however, things haven't gone to plan. He was already substituted after 60 minutes in the DFB-Pokal match at Rot-Weiss Essen (0:2). His commitment to the team was still evident when he ran onto the pitch to celebrate Abdoulie Ceesay's (22) late equalizer for 2-2 in Bielefeld. Coach Rapp stressed that Fujita receives the club's full support and does not appear disengaged. The performance is now in his own hands, the 47-year-old manager stated.

What are the midfielder's prospects?

The transfer windows are not completely shut. A move to Saudi Arabia would theoretically be possible until October 12. The next realistic opportunity then arises in the winter transfer period from January 1 to February 1. Until then, Fujita must impress on the pitch to remain interesting for the transfer market. Rapp is convinced that a good player will eventually assert himself. Competition in midfield is fierce, with players like Connor Metcalfe (26) also available alongside Smith and Rasmussen.

What's next for FC St. Pauli?

The current league standing is tense. Trailing leaders 1. FC Nürnberg by seven points, the club cannot afford any further false starts. The focus is now fully on the next fixture. On September 12, St. Pauli hosts VfL Wolfsburg, currently third in the table, at the Millerntor. This home game offers a chance to improve the so-far weak record of zero wins, three draws, and one loss. Full planning for the upcoming fixtures can be found on our fixtures page. To track the squad in detail, our squad overview provides all the information.