Bayern Munich will look to strengthen their grip on the Bundesliga title this Saturday as they host St. Pauli at the Allianz Arena in their 27th league match of the season.
The Bavarians currently sit atop the table with 62 points, holding a six-point advantage over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, St. Pauli, fresh off a 1-0 win against Hoffenheim on March 14, remain in 15th place with just 25 points, hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Match Preview
Vincent Kompany’s side was held to a 1-1 draw by Union Berlin in their last outing on March 15. Despite dominating with 1.66 expected goals (xG) compared to Union’s 0.69 xG, Bayern conceded an equalizer just eight minutes after Leroy Sané’s 75th-minute opener.
This result marked the first time in five games that Bayern failed to score at least two goals. Defensively, they’ve struggled recently, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last three league matches, though they had previously shut out opponents in three straight fixtures.
Bayern’s lead could shrink to just three points before kickoff if Bayer Leverkusen defeats relegation-threatened VfL Bochum on Friday.
Despite a slight dip in form—one loss and two draws in their last five league games—Kompany’s men had been in stellar form prior, winning seven consecutive matches. Their most recent home game ended in a shock 3-2 defeat to Bochum on March 8, snapping a 10-game winning streak at the Allianz Arena.
On the other side, St. Pauli put in a solid defensive display against Hoffenheim, preventing any clear chances and keeping all four of Hoffenheim’s shots off target. The victory pushed them five points clear of Bochum, who currently sit in the relegation playoff spot.
With Bayern eager to bounce back and St. Pauli fighting for survival, this clash promises an intriguing battle at both ends of the table.
On November 9, head coach Alexander Blessin's club fell 1-0 to Bayern in their first Bundesliga encounter of the season. He will be hoping that his team is not denied a great opportunity on Saturday, as they were the last time.
Although Kiezkicker has won one and drawn one of their last two games, they have lost their last four games.
There is still opportunity for improvement in St Pauli's away performance since they have lost three of their last four away games, drawn one, and won only one, failing to score three times.
