The Matchday 30 clash in the Bundesliga between St. Pauli and Bayer Leverkusen will take place on April 20 at the Millerntor Stadium in Hamburg. St. Pauli vs. Bayer Leverkusen: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
St. Pauli
The Hamburg side secured a 2-1 away victory against Holstein Kiel in the last round. This win marked only their second in the last 10 league matches (3 draws, 5 losses). Notably, after four consecutive matches without scoring, Alexander Blessin's men have found the net in five consecutive Bundesliga games. However, St. Pauli has only scored 25 goals this season, the lowest in the league. They are currently 15th in the standings, seven points clear of the relegation playoff zone.
- The team conceded first in 7 of their last 9 league matches.
- At home, St. Pauli has failed to win 6 of their last 8 Bundesliga matches (2 draws, 4 losses).
- In 7 of their last 8 home games in this tournament, St. Pauli has not scored more than one goal.
Predicted lineup for St. Pauli (4-3-3)
Nikola Vasilj – Lars Ritzka, Hauke Wahl, David Nemeth, Manolis Saliakas – Adam Dzwigala, Jackson Irvine, Eric Smith – Oladapo Afolayan, Danel Sinani, Elias Saad.
Midfielder James Sands is out injured.
Bayer Leverkusen
The goalless draw with Union Berlin ended Leverkusen's three-match winning streak in the Bundesliga. This was Bayer's eighth clean sheet of the current campaign, and they have failed to score in only five matches. Overall, the team has netted 63 goals, the second-highest in the tournament after Bayern Munich (83). They are also second in the standings, trailing Bayern by six points.
- Leverkusen conceded in 5 of their last 7 Bundesliga matches.
- Away from home, Bayer has won 7 of their last 9 league matches (2 draws).
- The team has scored at least two goals in 12 of their last 16 away matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Bayer Leverkusen (4-4-2)
Lukáš Hrádecký – Piero Hincapié, Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Edmond Tapsoba – Nathan Tella, Granit Xhaka, Aleix García, Alejandro Grimaldo – Exequiel Palacios, Patrik Schick.
Defender Mario Hermoso is injured.
Referee
Sören Storks (Germany)
Matches – 10 (Bundesliga, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 39;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.9;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 20;
Penalties – 20%.
St. Pauli vs. Bayer Leverkusen: Match Prediction
The Hamburg side is working hard to maintain their spot in the Bundesliga. In the last five rounds, Alexander Blessin's team has collected almost a third of their total points this season (2 wins, 2 draws). During this stretch, St. Pauli also suffered a 2-3 defeat to Bayern Munich. At home, the team has lost only twice in their last six Bundesliga matches, with one of those losses by a single goal.
Leverkusen remains unbeaten away in the current campaign. However, it should be noted that Xabi Alonso's team has won five of their last nine away matches by a one-goal margin, sharing points on five other occasions. The home match in the first round against Hamburg was also challenging for Bayer, as they narrowly won 2-1. I believe it will be even tougher for Leverkusen on the road.
My prediction: St. Pauli with a handicap (+1.5)
