Bayer Leverkusen will be looking to get their season back on track when they square off against St. Pauli away from home on Saturday.
St. Pauli will be eager to return to winning ways when they host Bayer Leverkusen, who have not been at their best thus far in the 2025/26 season.
The home team are fifth on the points table with seven points in their four outings. They had an impressive start to the season with a draw and two wins. However, they ended up suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of VfB Stuttgart last time out.
The Neighbourhood Kickers were completely outplayed by Stuttgart and will be hoping to put up a much-improved performance against Leverkusen to get their season back on track. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen are 11th on the table with just five points in their four outings.
Die Werkself started the season with a defeat at the hands of TSG Hoffenheim. While the 2024/25 Bundesliga runners-up have been unbeaten since, they have only won one out of their last four outings across competitions.
Kasper Hjulmand’s men are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-1 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach. Leverkusen are slowly getting back to their best, and they will be hoping to secure all three points in this outing. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
St. Pauli
The home team will remain without the services of David Nemeth. Apart from him, everyone else should be available for selection. Against Bayer Leverkusen, St. Pauli will line up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, where Nikola Vasilj will take charge in goal.
The back three will consist of Hauke Wahl, Eric Smith, and Adam Dzwigala. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive significant support from Manolis Saliakas and Louis Oppie, who will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, James Sands will partner with Joel Fujita in the middle of the park. The duo will have a lot of defending to do, and they will look to ensure the Bayer Leverkusen midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. Danel Sinani will take up the number ten role behind the attacking duo of Andreas Hountondji and Mathias Pereira Lage.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Dzwigala; Saliakas, Sands, Fujita, Oppie; Sinani; Hountondji, Lage
Bayer Leverkusen
The visitors will be without the services of Exequiel Palacios and Martin Terrier. Meanwhile, Nathan Tella’s availability is a major doubt. Apart from the trio, everyone else should be available for selection.
Kasper Hjulmand’s team will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Mark Flekken will be in goal. Jarell Quansah will start alongside Loic Bade and Edmond Tapsoba at the back. Meanwhile, former Real Madrid star Lucas Vazquez will take charge as the right wing-back, while Alejandro Grimaldo will feature on the opposite flank.
As for the midfield unit, Robert Andrich will start alongside Aleix Garcia in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure they dominate the proceedings.
Malik Tillman and Eliesse Ben Seghir will feature as the two attacking midfielders. They will look to create for Patrik Schick, who will spearhead the Bayer Leverkusen attack against St. Pauli on Saturday afternoon.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Quansah, Bade, Tapsoba; Vazquez, Andrich, Garcia, Grimaldo; Tillman, Seghir; Schick
Key Stats
- St. Pauli have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven league outings.
- Bayer Leverkusen have only won one out of their last four outings across competitions.
- Five out of Leverkusen’s last six goals have come after the 80th-minute mark.
- St. Pauli managed to secure a point in the corresponding fixture against Leverkusen last season.
- Die Schwarzroten have avoided defeat in each of their last three away fixtures.
Player to Watch
Patrik Schick
Schick was one of the standout performers for Bayer Leverkusen last season, as he bagged 27 goals and an assist in his 45 outings across competitions. The 29-year-old has carried that form into the new season with three goals and an assist in four league outings.
While Schick has been doing his bit, he has not been able to help his team get the desired results of late. Not only will the 29-year-old be eager to find the back of the net, but he will also be hoping to help his team secure all three points.
Prediction
St. Pauli 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen might not have been at their fluent best this season, but their quality and depth should give them the edge against St. Pauli. Kasper Hjulmand’s men will look to dominate possession and gradually break down the hosts. Leverkusen’s recent tendency to score late could once again prove decisive if the game remains tight heading into the final stages.
St. Pauli, meanwhile, will be eager to bounce back from their defeat to Stuttgart, but their defensive lapses could be exposed by Leverkusen’s fluid attack. While the home side will look to frustrate and hit on the counter, they might lack the cutting edge needed to trouble Mark Flekken’s goal consistently. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Kasper Hjulmand and his charges.