St. Pauli v Bayer Leverkusen preview: Defending champions travel to newly-promoted Pauli
St. Pauli
St. Pauli only lost to Bayern from their last five Bundesliga games. This streak helped Alexander Blessin's team to extend the gap between themselves and the playoff spot to a healthy seven points.
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They also secured a first away win since matchday 18 with a 2-1 success at Kiel last week. Max Geschwill's 92nd-minute own-goal is decisive since it was a direct duel between teams in a relegation fight.
In all likelihood, Pauli would secure their league status before facing Bochum – another team in automatic relegation spot – in the last week of the season.
Team News
Captain Jackson Irvine joined long-term absentees Karol Mets and James Sands in St. Pauli's treatment room.
Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso's team set to finish the season without a major title. If that was before last season's miracle, it might not be surprising. However, it'll be a disappointing return after winning the domestic double last time out.
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Die Werkself had a chance to reduce the gap at the top last weekend, but they failed to beat Union Berlin at home. The difference remains six points going into the last five weeks of the season since Bayern also dropped two points at home in Der Klassiker.
Leverkusen struggled to break teams in recent weeks, and the game against Pauli will pose another challenge. The newly-promoted side held one of the best defensive records in Bundesliga this season.
Team News
Nathan Tella is expected to be back in the squad, while Florian Wirtz might return to the starting XI. The only absentees in Leverkusen's side are Martin Terrier, Mario Hermoso and Jeanuël Belocian.
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