Relegation-threatened St. Pauli will look to keep their hopes of survival alive with a positive result against RB Leipzig away from home.
While third-placed RB Leipzig do not have much to play for, there is a lot at stake for FC St. Pauli in this fixture. With only two games to go in the season, a win here could go a long way in helping the visitors retain their top-flight status.
The home team are third on the table with 62 points in their 32 outings. They are five points behind second-placed Borussia Dortmund and have a four-point cushion over 4th-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
Their five-match winning streak came to an end last time out against Bayer Leverkusen. Leipzig got smashed 4-1 away from home, and they will be eager to bounce back with a statement performance against FC St. Pauli.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 17th on the table with 26 points in their 32 outings. While they are six points off safety with just two games to go, they can surely aim for the relegation playoff spot, which will give them one final chance of survival.
St. Pauli are level on points with 16th-placed VfL Wolfsburg, so a positive result here could do wonders for them. While they will certainly push hard, the visitors have not won any of their last eight league games. It certainly won’t be easy for them to take down one of the best teams in the competition. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
RB Leipzig
The home team will be without the services of Ayodele Thomas (muscle), Leopold Zingerle (wrist), Ezechiel Banzuzi (knee), and Viggo Gebel (knee). Leipzig still have enough quality in their roster to name a strong starting XI. They will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, where Maarten Vandevoordt will take charge in goal.
Riddle Baku and Max Finkgrafe could feature as the full-backs here, while Willi Orban could line up alongside El Chadaille Bitshiabu in the heart of the defence. The back four will be eyeing a clean sheet, and they will receive significant support from the middle three of Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Siewald and Christoph Baumgartner.
The trio will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure Leipzig have the upper hand. Antonio Nusa and Yan Diomande will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks, while Romulo will lead the line for RB Leipzig against St. Pauli on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Vandevoort; Baku, Orban, Bitshiabu, Finkgrafe; Schlager, Siewald, Baumgartner; Nusa, Romulo, Diomande
St. Pauli
The visitors will also be without the services of quite a few first-team players, as Jannik Robatsch (muscle), James Sands (ankle), Simon Spari (ligament), Manolis Saliakas (muscle), Mathias Pereira Lage (knee), and Ricky-Jade Jones (ankle) are all out injured.
St. Pauli will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Nikola Vasilj will be in goal. Hauke Wahl, Tomoya Ando, and Karol Mets will be the three central defenders, while Arkadiusz Pyrka and Louis Oppie will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Jackson Irvine will pair up with Eric Smith in the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and look to ensure that the Leipzig midfielders do not run the show.
Danel Sinani and Joel Chima Fujita will be the two attacking midfielders for the away team, while Andreas Hountondji is expected to spearhead the St. Pauli attack against RB Leipzig this weekend.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Vasilj; Wahl, Ando, Mets; Pyrka, Irvine, Smith, Oppie; Sinani, Fujita; Hountondji
Key Stats
- St. Pauli have not won any of their last eight league outings. Their last win came back in February.
- RB Leipzig were on a five-match winning streak prior to their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.
- Leipzig have not just won their last three home games against St. Pauli, they have bagged a total of ten goals in those meetings.
- St Pauli have only scored three goals in their last five league outings.
- Leipzig will be looking to make it five consecutive home wins in the Bundesliga.
Player to Watch
Antonio Nusa
Nusa might not have lit up the world with his performances, but he has certainly done a decent job. The 21-year-old winger has been involved in 33 matches across competitions and has contributed towards nine goals.
On his day, the Norwegian international has the quality to decide games on his own, and given the kind of football he has been playing of late, the youngster could end up having a big say on the end result of this home fixture.
Prediction
RB Leipzig 2-1 St. Pauli
RB Leipzig will head into this fixture eager to respond after their heavy defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, and they remain firm favourites against a struggling St. Pauli side. With their strong home form and attacking quality, they should dominate possession and create better chances throughout the contest.
St. Pauli, meanwhile, have their backs against the wall and will certainly fight hard given what is at stake. However, their poor run of form and lack of goals in recent weeks remain major concerns heading into a difficult away trip. While the visitors could trouble Leipzig on the counter and make things competitive, the home side should have enough quality to grind out another win. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Ole Werner and his charges.
