Highlights

Matchday 30

FINAL

Millerntor-Stadion

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

BoukhalfaCarlo Boukhalfa

78'

32'

SchickPatrik Schick

S. Storks

Millerntor-Stadion

Full-time: St. Pauli 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen

St. Pauli reap the rewards from a really strong performance: a deserved point against Leverkusen. The Kiezkickers withstood the pressure from the Werkself at times and showed lots of heart. Apart from allowing Schick's powerful header, they gave away very little and held on to eventually find a leveller. A huge result in this season's title race.

Full-time

90'

+ 4

Pauli going all-out in defence

Brown shirts abound in the home side's half as they look to shut out the reigning Bundesliga champions.

90'

+ 1

Substitution

Elias Saad

Danel Sinani

90'

+ 1

240 seconds

of added time for Leverkusen to turn this around...

90'

+ 1

Yellow card

Eric Smith

90'

+ 1

Substitution

Oladapo Afolayan

Morgan Guilavogui

90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong34.03km/h

Nathan Adewale Temitayo Tella33.00km/h

Edmond Tapsoba32.97km/h

89'

Double change

Last throw of the dice from Xabi Alonoso, with Boniface and Buendía coming on.

89'

Substitution

Emiliano Buendía

Edmond Tapsoba

89'

Substitution

Victor Boniface

Nathan Tella

86'

Strong performance

Treu proved highly resistant to pressing, successfully resolved 75 per cent of his 16 under-pressure situations – proof of his composure on the ball.

86'

Pressure Handling

This Match Fact examines how successfully players perform under pressure. The percentage of "solved situations" indicates how often a player has freed himself from opponent pressure by dribbling, passing, scoring a goal or drawing a foul.

75%

Philipp Treu

16 times under pressure

84'

Boukhalfa signs off

The match's second goalscorer leaves the field, making way for Wagner.

84'

Substitution

Robert Wagner

Carlo Boukhalfa

81'

Grimaldo looks for immediate reply

The Spaniard winds up and tries his luck from distance, unleashing a dipping, swerving effort with power. But Vasilj is equal to the task.

79'

Now and then

That was only Carlo Boukhalfa's second Bundesliga goal (in 21 games); he previously scored on Matchday 3 in the 3-1 defeat in Augsburg, bagging St. Pauli's first goal of the season.

Second time's a charm!

Sinani's low, curling free-kick from wide on the right suprises Hrádecký at his near post. The keeper fumbles slightly, but that's enough for the on-rushing Boukhalfa to prod home and score what could be a crucial goal in the title race this season!

78'

Carlo Boukhalfa

GOAL!

1:1

Goal probability

Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.

86 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

3.55 m

77'

Unnecessary

Tella kicks the ball away and goes into the referee's book.

77'

Yellow card

Nathan Tella

74'

So close to a leveller!

Guilavogui is in the spot when a high ball into the area sparks confusion in the Leverkusen defence. He slots home but the goal is ruled out for handball as it brushed Guilavogui's forearm on the way through.

73'

Pauli to go goalless again at the Millerntor?

For St. Pauli, it would be their tenth home game without a goal this season, which would be a Bundesliga record (Heidenheim have failed to score at home nine times). But there's still time...

73'

No danger

Grimaldo swings in a sharp corner for Leverkusen but the Pauli defence are all over it.

68'

Opportunity?

A quick spate of yellow cards for Leverkusen. Are Xabi Alonso's men losing their cool? Pauli can look to capitalise here...

67'

Schick makes way

The game's only goalscorer so far is replaced by a fit-again Amine Adli. Can the new man lock up all three points for the visitors?

66'

Substitution

Amine Adli

Patrik Schick

66'

And now it's Frimpong's turn...

... to go into the book for a high arm in his challenge on Van der Heyden.

64'

Yellow card

Jeremie Frimpong

64'

Tick tock

The visiting keeper is booked for time wasting.

64'

Yellow card

Lukáš Hrádecký

63'

First yellow

The Leverkusen man is sanctioned for provocation.

63'

Yellow card

Piero Hincapié

61'

Good effort

Smith takes the resulting free kick from a tight angle towards the far corner – Hrádecký has to stretch but manages to deflect the ball around the post.

60'

Right away

Weißhaupt makes an immediate impact, leaving Tapsoba on the left at the edge of the penalty area before being brought down by Frimpong.

59'

Substitution

Noah Weißhaupt

Connor Metcalfe

58'

Weißhaupt coming on

Connor Metcalfe's race looks run as the Australian's number is prepared on the sidelines. Noah Weißhaupt looks set to come in.

54'

Frimpong pace

The Dutch full-back takes off down the right and Pauli look worried as they look to track back. Wirtz bounds through the middle and wants the ball. Frimpong mistimes his pass and the move breaks down.

52'

xGoals

The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).

xGoals

0.34

0.76

Goals

50'

Here come Bayer 04

The men in white stream forward and this looks a threatening move. Palacios ends up striking at goal but his effort is blocked.

48'

Pauli on the front foot

The home side have started the second-half well. Guilavogui gets down the left and pops a cross into the mixer. Lukáš Hrádecký claims.

46'

Away we go again!

Peeep. The referee whistles and Florian Wirtz kicks off the second half.

Kick-off!

Half-time: Pauli 0-1 Leverkusen

It's Leverkusen who go in at the break with their noses in front. Hosts Pauli started brightly, putting the reigning champions under a lot of pressure, but without fashioning and gilt-edged opportunities. Leverkusen bided their time in what was an attritional half, with Alonso's side unwilling to go hell for leather in pursuit of the lead, but Schick's header from close range is enough for the half-time advantage.

Half-time

45'

Stoppage time

One additional minute is indicated.

44'

Grimaldo fouled

The Spaniard is brought down by the left touchline by Nemeth. Wirtz stands over it before firing a powerful cross towards the front post, which Vasilj punches back to Leverkusen's No. 10. He attempts another cross, but this time, Vasilj manages to hold it.

41'

Teasing ball

Pauli counterattack quickly and commit men forward. Sinani attempts a cross, which is blocked at source, but the Luxembourg international gets another bite of the cherry and whips a delicious ball into the box, which Hincapié just manages to head clear.

37'

Deadly Werkself

Schick's opener was in fact Leverkusen's first shot on target of the match: that was all they needed!

Goal attempts

2off target

1on target

1off target

1on target

36'

Nice idea

Wirtz and Schick combine well on the edge of the Pauli box with a one-two, but Wirtz's return ball is just a bit wayward.

Schick nods home the opener!

What a massive goal that was for Leverkusen. Frimpong had been fouled by Van der Heyden on the right flank just outside the box. Grimaldo takes, floating a great ball in and Schick rises highest to meet the header inside the six-yard box, breaking the deadlock here. 1-0!

32'

Patrik Schick

GOAL!

0:1

Goal probability

54 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

4.17 m

31'

Another one

Leverkusen win another corner, which Wirtz takes again, but it's a repeat of the first as Pauli dispel the danger.

30'

Corner

Wirtz shows his dancing feet down the left wing and wins a corner. The No. 10 also takes it, firing it towards the near post, but Pauli clear.

30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong34.03km/h

Nathan Adewale Temitayo Tella33.00km/h

Morgan Guilavogui31.74km/h

27'

Leverkusen growing

The reigning champions are starting to take more control of this match. Palacios and Frimpong have put a couple of crosses each into the Pauli penalty area, but each time the hosts have managed to repel them.

22'

New territory

Leverkusen, who are so used to dominating the ball, have been chasing the game in the opening 20 minutes here, which is a credit to how well Pauli have started.

Possession (%)

5743

Pauli threatening

Besides the Frimpong chance, St. Pauli have been the more dangerous of the sides so far and have had a few headers in promising positions.

16'

Boukhalfa shoots

Finding himself in space on the edge of the Leverkusen box, the midfielder opts to shoot, rifling a powerful shot goalwards. It's really travelling, but Hrádecký is equal to it with a strong punch away.

14'

Golden chance!

Wirtz releases Tella down the left channel with a fantastic trivela. The winger lashes a cross towards the far post, where Frimpong is arriving, but the Dutchman's first-time effort is well wide. Best chance of the game so far.

11'

In from Sinani

The forward takes a free-kick from right by the left touchline. It's whipped in, finding Boukhalfa on the penalty spot, but the midfielder's header is off target.

Lively start

It's been a great start to the game from the hosts. They've enjoyed a lot of space down the left. Most recently, Boukhalfa floated a delicate cross in towards the far post, where Saliakas meets it with the header, but it was just behind the defender, whose effort flies harmlessly over the bar.

Disappointing

Pauli find themselves with an overload down the left. Treu shifts it on for the advancing Van der Heyden, but the defender's first-time cross is straight into the gloves of Hrádecký.

Strong defending

Guilavogui wriggles free down the left flank and plays a ball for Sinani to chase. It looks promising, but Hincapié comes across to cover well.

And we're off!

The final Bundesliga game of Easter Sunday is underway here at the Millerntor, and it's hosts Pauli who get the ball rolling.

Kick-off!

Millerntor sell-out

The home stadium is soon to be bouncing as fans file in to cheer their team to what they hope will be a shock win. Pauli sit seven points above the relegation play-off spot and a result against second-place Bayer 04 would raise their hopes of survival significantly.

Metcalfe from the outset

Connor Metcalfe is back in the Kiezkickers' starting line-up for the first time since a Matchday 2 defeat at Union. The 25-year-old Australian had been out of action for six months due to muscular problems and a pubic bone inflammation and was a substitute in each of the last three matchdays.

More on that Bayer 04 team

The big news for Leverkusen is that Florian WIrtz returns to the starting XI having made his comeback from injury as a substitute against Union Berlin last week. The attacking wizard replaces the benched Aleix Garcia in what is the only change in Xabi Alonso's opening line-up in Hamburg.

More on that Pauli team

Coach Alexander Blessin makes four changes to his starting lineup compared to the 2-1 victory against Kiel last time out. Van der Heyden, Metcalfe, Boukhalfa, and Guilavogui are in for Irvine (foot injury), Dźwigała, Afolayan, and Saad (all on the bench).

St Pauli starting XI

Vasilj - Nemeth, Wahl (c), Van der Heyden - Saliakas, Smith, Metcalfe, Treu – Guilavogui, Boukhalfa - Sinani

St Pauli subs

Voll, Ritzka, Dźwigała, Wagner, Ahlstrand, Saad, Weißhaupt, Afolayan, Eggestein

Leverkusen starting XI

Hrádecký (c) - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié - Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo - Tella, Wirtz – Schick

Leverkusen subs

Kovář, Mukiele, Arthur, Andrich, Aleix García, Buendía, Hofmann, Adli, Boniface

Xabi Alonso on facing St. Pauli

"It will be an interesting game. St. Pauli is a good team that plays good football and we're expecting a tough game. We need to believe that it's not over, we still have five games left and we need to make that very clear to ourselves."

Alexander Blessin on facing Leverkusen

"They've only lost two games this season, but they've often drawn. This year, they haven't always been lucky enough to draw those games. They've been unlucky with injuries and the absence of key players. They'll give their all until the day it's mathematically impossible. They know they have to win every game. They didn't manage last week, while Union Berlin did brilliantly. We have the quality to win. Against a team like that, you need a good day, a clear strategy, and clarity in our actions over the 90 minutes."

Probable line-ups

Who’s set to play this weekend? Who’s going to miss out? Keep up to date with all the latest team news right here!

An historic bogey team

Although St. Pauli have historically beaten no other side in the Bundesliga more than they have Leverkusen (five wins), their last win against the Werkself came nearly 29 years ago in a 3-1 victory at the Millentor in November 1996 under then-coach Uli Maslo.

More records for Xabi Alonso's men

Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last 31 Bundesliga away games. They're just two games away from Bayern's historic record. Can Alonso's record-breaking Werkself side write themselves into the history books again, or will there be an upset in Hamburg? After all, Leverkusen have only picked up four points in their last seven Bundesliga trips to the Millentor-Stadion.

2:03

Watch: Holstein Kiel 1-2 St. Pauli - highlights

St. Pauli came from behind to beat Holstein Kiel in a relegation six-pointer on Matchday 29 of the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.

2:03

Watch: Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Union Berlin - highlights

Florian Wirtz made his long-awaited return from injury for Bayer Leverkusen, but the defending champions were unable to break through a resolute Union Berlin defence on Matchday 29.

Hello and welcome!

Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 30 fixture between FC St. Pauli and Bayer 04 Leverkusen.