Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick wants the first game of his second stint in the Schalke dugout to end with three points, which would allow him to travel to Milan on Saturday to take a look at his side's next opponents.
Rangnick was appointed as the Royal Blues' new coach just over a fortnight ago, but tomorrow's trip to Hamburg to take on St Pauli is his first game in charge. His second game is a UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie at the San Siro against Inter Milan next Tuesday, and Rangnick could decide to see their clash with AC Milan this weekend if he is happy with what he sees from his own team tomorrow night.
"I will decide after the game in St Pauli whether I will fly there on Saturday," he said. "We want to go into the remaining games of the season with three points. I am excited to see how the players play."
Rangnick has led training in Gelsenkirchen for the last 10 days after returning to the club which he led to a second-place finish in 2005. However, he has warned the fans not to expect miracles overnight.
"We have worked intensively and the players have been showing a lot of engagement, but it has to be clear that I cannot give the team a completely new way of playing in such a short space of time," he added. "The important thing now is that the team shows some life."
It has to be clear that I cannot give the team a completely new way of playing in such a short space of time.
New Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick
St Pauli coach Holger Stanislawski is not concerned with what Rangnick has or has not done since taking charge, though. "We have got to believe in our chance," he said. "We want to sustain this fantastic atmosphere from the opening whistle. We will see what Ralf Rangnick has achieved over the last 10 days and we have got to be ready for anything, but we really don't care in the slightest about what has changed there precisely because we need these points at all costs and will be aiming for them."
However, Stanislawski recognises the difference between the two sides and suggests tomorrow's clash at the Millerntor Stadion will be like a contest between David and Goliath. "Of course we would all love to play against Inter Milan, but our budget would probably not even stretch to us playing them in a friendly match," he said. "But we are looking forward to facing Schalke's €80million troops. "We are the outsiders, but this is our stadium, it is Friday night and we are under the floodlights."

St Pauli striker Gerald Asamoah will be particularly excited about facing his former club for the first time since moving north last summer. He should partner Marius Ebbers in the St Pauli attack while Raul will be leading the Schalke front line, albeit without Klaas Jan Huntelaar, who is still injured. Jefferson Farfan could therefore partner the Spaniard.