Champions Bayer Leverkusen will hope to reignite their title defence on Saturday when they welcome strugglers St Pauli to BayArena in their 13th Bundesliga game of the season.
Xabi Alonso's side are third with 23 points and defeated Union Berlin 2-1 on November 30, whereas the visitors are fourth last in 15th place with 11 points but did emerge as 3-1 victors against Holstein Kiel last Friday.
Match preview
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The Black and Reds' contest against Union Berlin was closely fought, with both teams producing eight shots and two big chances, but the champions ultimately showcased the persistence that won them the title last season when they found a winner in the 71st minute.
Leverkusen managed to claw back two points on leaders Bayern Munich, who drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund on November 30, but are still seven points behind Vincent Kompany's Bavarians.
Alonso's side progressed to the quarter-finals of the DFB-Pokal after beating Bayern 1-0 on Tuesday, a match in which they benefitted from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's 17th-minute red card.
The hosts have netted 28 times and conceded on 19 occasions in the Bundesliga, and these are the league's third-best attacking and joint ninth-best defensive returns.
Leverkusen's record in recent weeks has been strong, with the club winning their last four by a cumulative score of 13-3, and they have in fact only lost one of their past 17 outings, drawing six times in that period.
Die Werkself's home form is excellent considering they are unbeaten in their last eight – emerging victorious in six of those fixtures – and have won 28, drawn six and been defeated in just one of their past 35 games at BayArena.
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Meanwhile, St Pauli created four big chances in contrast to Holstein Kiel's four, while also hitting the woodwork, but perhaps the victors were fortunate that goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj saved Jann-Fiete Arp's penalty at the end of the first half when they were only winning 1-0.
The match was also the first time Kiezkicker had scored a Bundesliga goal in their own stadium in 13 years, and boss Alexander Blessin expressed his relief in the aftermath of the match, saying: "The momentum was fully on our side when the ball bounced off the inside of the post [for the opening goal] and went in. We've earned ourselves that luck in recent weeks."
Blessin's side are just one point above 16th-placed Heidenheim, who occupy the division's relegation playoff spot, though they are six points from the automatic relegation zone.
St Pauli have won two and lost two of their past four Bundesliga matches, and having scored five goals in that time, they doubled their tally from the prior eight league games.
The visitors have been defeated in four of their six most recent top-flight outings, winning two of their last four on the road.
Team News
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Leverkusen have somewhat of an injury crisis in the forward line considering Amine Adli, Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface are not scheduled to return until varying times in 2025, while striker Patrik Schick will not appear until late December.
Alonso may have no other option but to start winger Nathan Tella up front alongside Florian Wirtz.
Aleix Garcia may be selected in a midfield three next to Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich, while wing-back Jeremie Frimpong will have to be relied upon to provide an attacking threat down the right flank.
As for St Pauli, they have an extensive injury list that includes goalkeepers Sascha Burchert and Soren Ahlers, so expect Nikola Vasilj to appear between the posts.
Midfielders Scott Banks, Connor Metcalfe and Robert Wagner will be unavailable, and this could mean that Blessin selects Jackson Irvine and Carlo Boukhalfa in a double pivot.
Oladapo Afolayan, Johannes Eggestein and Morgan Guilavogui may start in attack given forwards Elias Saad and Simon Zoller are ruled out.
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Garcia, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Tella
St Pauli possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Nemeth; Saliakas, Irvine, Boukhalfa, Treu; Afolayan, Eggestein, Guilavogui
We say: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 St Pauli
Considering their injuries in the forward line, Leverkusen could struggle to create many chances in the final third, and St Pauli are unlikely to lose by multiple goals.
However, the hosts' record at home is phenomenal, and they are in good form, so it would be surprising if they did not emerge victorious on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
