Bayer Leverkusen will host FC St. Pauli in a high-stakes DFB-Pokal quarterfinal clash at the BayArena this Tuesday, February 3, 2026, with the lineups revealed. With a place in the semifinals on the line, the home side enters the fixture as heavy favorites against a struggling St. Pauli squad currently mired in the Bundesliga relegation zone.
Match Preview: Form and Stakes
Bayer Leverkusen has found its rhythm under head coach Kasper Hjulmand, winning three consecutive matches across all competitions, including a dominant 3-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in their last outing. For Die Werkself, the DFB-Pokal represents the final realistic opportunity to secure silverware this season, a major motivator for a squad that reached the semifinals in the previous campaign.
In contrast, Alexander Blessin’s St. Pauli side is winless in their last six league matches and currently sits 17th in the Bundesliga standings. While their cup run, which included a round-of-16 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach, has been a rare bright spot, survival in the top flight remains the club’s primary focus.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs FC St. Pauli Lineups
Hjulmand is expected to field a strong side to capitalize on their recent momentum, though he remains without creative midfielder Ibrahim Maza, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Mark Flekken also remains unavailable, leaving Janis Blaswich to continue between the posts.
Bayer Leverkusen Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1):
- GK: Janis Blaswich
- DEF: Jarell Quansah, Loïc Badé, Edmond Tapsoba
- MID: Arthur, Ezequiel Fernández, Aleix García, Alejandro Grimaldo
- FWD: Malik Tillman, Martin Terrier; Patrik Schick
FC St. Pauli Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1):
- GK: Nikola Vasilj
- DEF: Tomoya Ando, Eric Smith, Karol Mets
- MID: Manolis Saliakas, James Sands, Mathias Rasmussen, Arkadiusz Pyrka
- FWD: Danel Sinani, Joel Chima Fujita; Ricky-Jade Jones
New signing Taichi Hara may feature from the bench for St. Pauli, though Hauke Wahl and Andreas Hountondji remain unavailable.
Betting Tips and Odds
- Match Winner: Leverkusen are clear favorites at 1.565 odds.
- Both Teams to Score (BTTS): Available at 1.76 odds, reflecting Leverkusen’s tendency to concede recently.
- Total Goals: Over 2.5 goals is a popular pick at 1.67.
Final prediction and lineups of Bayer Leverkusen vs FC St Pauli – 2-1.
