Borussia Dortmund haven't lost a Friday night game in front of the Yellow Wall for more than 20 years.
The German powerhouse are 38 games unbeaten at the 81,365-capacity Signal Iduna Park on Friday nights, last losing in January 2004.
But fronting up to that extraordinary, intimidating and raucous block of yellow and black is what makes FC St. Pauli skipper and Socceroos stalwart Jackson Irvine so excited to play there.
Newly-promoted St. Pauli face Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Friday night local time, barely two days after Irvine returns from the Socceroos' World Cup qualifier against Japan in Saitama.
Before he resumes Socceroos action in Melbourne in November, Irvine will captain St. Pauli against Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, along with playing a cup tie against RB Leipzig.
"It's what you live for. It's what you play the game for," Irvine told AAP.
"Yeah, it's gonna be one of the most exciting periods of my career. It's obviously gonna be one of the most challenging as well.
"But this is what you work for your whole career, to be a part of games like I've got coming up, and you've got to enjoy the ride, embrace it, and show that you belong at that level.
"That's what you've always wanted the chance to do. And that's what I'm going to try and do over the next few weeks."
Irvine, whose parents are flying out to Germany from Melbourne for the game, wouldn't single out any players in particular that he wanted to go toe-to-toe with - there were too many.
Instead, it's that colourful wall of fans that has him dreaming.
"That game away in Dortmund is probably the one that really lights up in your head," he said.
"Thinking (about) just the opportunity to play in that stadium and in front of that stand, and it's gonna be special."
Irvine is already a hero in Hamburg after helping St. Pauli seal top-flight promotion last season.
"The community's so unique, in the sense that there's not a lack of pressure, but there's a real sense of enjoying the ride amongst the fans," he said.
"It's been such a long time since the team's been in the Bundesliga.
"Personally, it's been amazing to just grasp that energy that's around.
"It is really different, the big-game energy every weekend, and the atmospheres we've had in the home games so far have been on par with the top games in the second league over the last couple of years.
"You're getting that week in, week out now. The energy is just incredible."
