Competence: Bundesliga
Market: Leipzig victory
Odd: 2/5 @1xBet
Knowing that they will be able to officially punch their ticket to the Champions League on Saturday afternoon, RB Leipzig will host St. Pauli at the Red Bull Arena.
Starting with the hosts, seeing how their prolonged purple streak came to an end last time when they fell to a 4-1 away at Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig will surely look for an immediate response here. However, despite putting in a dismal performance last weekend, Ole Werner’s men can officially close their lucrative return to the Champions League on Saturday afternoon. Closing out April with a stellar 3-1 home win against Union Berlin, the Red Bulls have enjoyed a stellar domestic campaign. Heading into the March international break with a notable 5-0 win against Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig have won their other five Bundesliga games. It should also be noted that the German giants have only lost a couple of their last 13 consecutive top-flight meetings. Likewise, Werner’s team has also earned a fearsome reputation for its long dominance at home. In fact, Saturday’s hosts won their previous four consecutive meetings at Red Bull Arena by an aggregate score of 11-1.
As for the visitors, while St. Pauli are mathematically still clinging to their Bundesliga status, the Neighborhood Kickers are already, rightly, planning their return to Germany’s second division. Last seen slumping to a 2-1 home defeat against Mainz, Alexander Blessin’s side are six points adrift of safety heading into the penultimate clash of the campaign. More than aware that they are searching for what would be considered an all-time miracle, the old Hamburg-based team has continued to show a number of glaring problems. With their struggles underscored by a 5-0 defeat at the hands of newly crowned champions Bayern Munich on April 11, St. Pauli have taken just three points in any of their last eight consecutive Bundesliga appearances. Heading into the international break in March with a 2-1 home defeat against Europa League finalists Freiburg, Saturday’s guests face another monumental challenge here. Given what has been a yawning gulf in class between Saturday’s opponents, it’s almost impossible to see anything more than a routine home win this weekend.
Bet: RB Leipzig 2/5 to beat St. Pauli in Saturday’s Bundesliga match @ 1xBet
