St. Pauli will look to bring an end to their four-match winless run when they host top-four hopefuls RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Visitors, RB Leipzig, will look to build on their recent win when they hit the road to square up against relegation-threatened St. Pauli at Millerntor-Stadium on Tuesday night.

The home team are 17th on the table with 13 points in just 18 matches. Alexander Blessin’s charges have only won three matches, and they have suffered defeat on 11 occasions.

St. Pauli have failed to win any of their last four league games. The Kiezkicker last won a game back in December, and they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 0-0 draw against Hamburger SV. They will certainly have to do much better to stand a chance against RB Leipzig.

The visitors are fourth on the table with 35 points in their 18 matches. After a difficult run of four matches with three defeats, they returned to winning ways against Heidenheim with a comfortable 3-0 win.

RB Leipzig were a force to reckon with last time out, and they will look to build on it against St. Pauli. Given the quality of their squad, they should certainly have enough opportunities to claim all three points. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

St. Pauli

The home team will be without the services of David Nemeth (groin), while Connor Metcalfe (knock), and Simon Spari (ankle) are major doubts for this fixture.

St. Pauli will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Nikola Vasilj should take charge in goal. In the heart of the defence, Adam Dźwigała will start alongside Hauke Wahl and Karol Mets. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive significant support from Arkadiusz Pyrka and Louis Oppie, who will feature as the wing-backs.

As for the midfield unit, James Sands will start alongside Eric Smith in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure Leipzig midfielders do not run the show. Joel Chima Fujita and Mathias Pereira Lage will feature on the flanks, while Martijn Kaars will be the one leading the line for them.

Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Vasilj; Dzwigala, Wahl, Mets; Pyrka, Sands, Smith, Oppie; Fujita, Kaars, Pereira

RB Leipzig

The visitors will be without the services of Lukas Klostermann, who is suspended, and Forzan Assan Ouedraogo, who is out with a knee injury, while Castello Lukeba (knee) and Johan Bakayoko (muscle) are both major doubts for this fixture.

RB Leipzig will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Peter Gulacsi will take charge in goal. Ridle Baku and David Raum will feature as the full-backs, while Willi Orban will partner with El Chadaille Bitshiabu in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Xaver Schlager and Nicolas Seiwald will take up the holding role in the middle of the pitch. They will shield the backline and look to control the tempo, while Christoph Baumgartner will feature as the attacking midfielder.

In the final third, the highly sought-after Yan Diomande and Antonio Nusa will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Rômulo Cardoso will lead the line for RB Leipzig against St. Pauli on Tuesday.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Gulacsi; Baku, Orban, Bitshiabu, Raum; Schlager, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Diomande, Cardoso, Nusa

Key Stats

• Both teams have faced each other on seven occasions, and both teams have won three games apiece.
• St. Pauli have failed to win any of their last four Bundesliga games.
• RB Leipzig faced St. Pauli on three occasions during the 2024/25 season; they were unbeaten, winning two of those fixtures.
• The home team have the worst attacking record in the Bundesliga this season, with just 16 goals in 18 games.
• St. Pauli also have the worst home record in the German top flight, with only eight points in as many games.

Player to Watch

Christoph Baumgartner

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Christoph Baumgartner will be the player to watch when RB Leipzig take on St. Pauli, given his sensational form this season. The Austrian international has been one of Leipzig’s standout performers, consistently influencing games from midfield with his intelligent movement and sharp finishing.

In 21 appearances across all competitions, Baumgartner has already registered ten goals and seven assists, underlining his importance in the final third. His ability to find space between the lines and arrive late in the box could pose serious problems for St. Pauli’s defence.

Prediction

St.Pauli 0-2 RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig will head into this fixture as clear favourites, especially given their dominant display against Heidenheim last time out. With greater quality across the pitch and multiple attacking outlets, Ole Werner’s side should be able to control possession and create consistent openings against a St. Pauli team that has struggled badly in front of goal this season.

St. Pauli will look to stay compact and frustrate Leipzig, but their poor home record and lack of cutting edge could once again prove costly. If the visitors maintain their intensity and take their chances, they should have enough to secure a routine away win without too many scares. The Hard Tackle predicts a comfortable 2-0 win for the away team.