Leverkusen loses Schick for St Pauli clash
Patrik Schick will miss Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga encounter with St Pauli because of injury, coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed.
Schick was forced off during Leverkusen's 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal in midweek, despite only being introduced at half-time for Robert Andrich.
The Czech has been in impressive form in the absence of Victor Boniface, netting five goals in his past three league appearances, including a hat-trick against Heidenheim.
His goal against Union Berlin last time out saw him net his 48th Bundesliga goal on his 100th appearance in the competition, equalling Ulf Kirsten's club record.
"Patrik won't be there tomorrow, everyone else is fit," Alonso said.
Alonso will also be without Amine Adli, Jonas Hofmann and Boniface, who are all long-term absentees, for the encounter at BayArena.
Leverkusen enters the weekend in third, seven points behind leader Bayern, but will be confident of closing the gap to Vincent Kompany's side against St Pauli.
The defending champion is unbeaten in its past 10 competitive home games against Australian Jackson Irvine's unit, only losing at home to it in professional football in its first clash, a 3-2 defeat in March 1976.
Leverkusen has also lost only one of its past 20 Bundesliga fixtures against promoted sides, against Arminia Bielefeld in March 2021.
Since then, the Werkself are on a 13-game unbeaten run in such fixtures, an ongoing club record in the top flight.
Despite recent results being in Leverkusen's favour, Alonso was expecting a tough test for his side on home soil.
"After the DFB-Pokal, we're back in Bundesliga mode," Alonso said. "After the win in Berlin, we want to take the next step. We're expecting a strong opponent.
"We still have four games until the end of the year. The two wins against Heidenheim and Union have done us good.
"We have a good feeling and are more efficient than before. We want to build on that and keep going."
