Bayer Leverkusen vs St. Pauli Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Bayer Leverkusen host St. Pauli, knowing that victory would make it five straight wins in all competitions for them over the past fortnight.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 7th December 2024: UK – 2:30pm / US ET – 9:30am / US PT – 6:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not Televised / US – Some matches will be televised on ESPN channels so it is worth checking their schedules
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – ESPN+
Bayer Leverkusen Preview: Back to their best
Bayer Leverkusen are coming off the back of four consecutive victories, in which they have racked up 13 goals. The most recent of those wins was the most impressive as Xabi Alonso’s side made it through to the next round of the DFB-Pokal by knocking out Bayern Munich, beating the Bundesliga leaders 0-1 at the Allianz Arena.
They currently sit seven points behind Bayern in the table, but with Harry Kane likely to be missing until after the winter break, Leverkusen may well sense an opportunity here to close that gap, under the assumption that Vincent Kompany’s side could drop more points.
St. Pauli Preview: Out of the bottom three
St. Pauli winning two of their last four Bundesliga games have seen them break out of the bottom three with a point separating them from 16th-placed Heidenheim as it stands. The most recent of those victories came against Holstein Kiel last Friday, St. Pauli winning that game by three goals to one.
It was a dominating performance by St. Pauli, easily one of their best showings this season. After scoring on 25 minutes they never looked back and were 3-0 by the time Holstein Kiel grabbed a consolation goal in second half stoppage time.
Bayer Leverkusen Team News: Three out for hosts
Only a few weeks since losing Victor Boniface, the home side could now be without another striker in Patrik Schick, who is struggling with a calf problem. Amine Adli and Jonas Hofmann are also out injured.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Garcia
Unavailable: Adli (Injured), Boniface (Injured), Hofmann (Injured)
Questionable: Schick (Injured)
St. Pauli Team News: Still without a raft of players
Head coach Alexander Blessin will be desperate for a number of key players to make their returns soon, but this match comes too early for the likes of Connor Metcalfe and Elias Saad, who are two of eight players expected to miss out whilst another three could join them on the sidelines.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Nemeth; Saliakas, Irvine, Boukhalfa, Treu; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui
Unavailable: Ahlers (Injured), Banks (Injured), Burchert (Injured), Metcalfe (Injured), Saad (Injured), Seibt (Injured), Wagner (Injured), Zoller (Injured)
Questionable: Mets (Injured), Saliakis (Injured), Voll (Injured)
Bayer Leverkusen vs St. Pauli Prediction
Xabi Alonso has done a good job in setting up his side to compensate for Boniface’s absence and will likely do the same here, even if Schick is unavailable. Leverkusen have looked far more like their old self over the past couple of weeks, regaining the confidence and relentless goalscoring touch that had been lost. St Pauli are a team of fighters and have made life difficult for the likes of Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig already this season. But on the road, any outcome other than defeat for them against the reigning champions would be a surprise.
Bayer Leverkusen vs St. Pauli Tip: Bayer Leverkusen to win
