Preview: Hamburger SV vs Bayer Leverkusen - prediction, team news, lineups

Bayer Leverkusen's quest to finish in the Bundesliga's top four continues on Tuesday against relegation-threatened hosts Hamburger SV at Volksparkstadion.

The home team are 13th with 16 points, four points and three places above the 16th-placed relegation playoff spot, while Leverkusen are fourth with 29 points having lost 4-1 against Stuttgart on Saturday.

Match preview

Hamburger SV may boast a four-point advantage over 16th-placed St Pauli, but their relegation rivals have played a game fewer, as have 14th-placed Wolfsburg.

The hosts were beaten 2-1 by Freiburg on Saturday, a game in which they were leading 1-0 when they wered reduced to 10 men in the 51st minute.

Boss Merlin Polzin's side have not faced Leverkusen since the 2017-18 season - they lost both league games - and his team have been defeated in four of their past five clashes against the visitors.

Die Rothosen have lost two and drawn one of their last three Bundesliga games, scoring three goals while conceding seven times.

Hamburger have been difficult to beat at home, with the club emerging as winners in four of their seven most recent league fixtures at Volksparkstadion, suffering just one loss in that time.

Leverkusen trailed 4-0 at the half-time interval against Stuttgart, and the ended the match having faced four big chances and 2.6 xG, the joint second most xG they have faced this season.

Though Die Schwarzroten are level on points with third-placed RB Leipzig, only three points separate them from seventh-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, and they are only two points in front of sixth-placed Hoffenheim despite having played an additional game.

Head coach Kasper Hjulmand will hope for defensive improvements considering his side have now conceded at least two goals in three of their last five matches in all competitions.

Leverkusen's loss against Stuttgart ended a streak of three games without defeat, and it also ended their two-game winning run.

The visitors have been excellent on the road in recent months, claiming victory in five of their last six outings away from home, with Hjulmand's side losing just once in that time.

Hamburger SV Bundesliga form:

Hamburger SV form (all competitions):

Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga form:

Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions):

Team News

Hamburger have had a bout of illness sideline a number of their players this week, including midfielder Anssi Suhonen, wingers Emir Sahiti and Fabio Balde, as well as striker Rayan Philippe, while fellow centre-forwards Robert Glatzel and Yussuf Poulsen are both out through injury.

In their absence, HSV could start Ransford Konigsdorffer up top - supported by loanees Damion Downs and Fabio Vieira if Jean-Luc Dompe is kept away by his muscle injury - with Nicolai Remberg joining Albert Sambi Lokonga in the centre of the park.

Elsewhere, the hosts are light in defence with Aboubaka Soumahoro and Warmed Omari out injured, and Daniel Elfadli suspended, so expect to see Nicolas Capaldo, Luka Vuskovic and Guilherme Ramos form a back three.

As for Leverkusen, left-winger Eliesse Ben Seghir is on international duty due to the Africa Cup of Nations, and striker Patrik Schick is sidelined with a muscle problem, though Martin Terrier should be on hand to start up front, backed up by Malik Tillman and Nathan Tella.

The visitors are also missing midfielder Exequiel Palacios due to a groin issue, though he is closing in on a return to action this month, while versatile defender Axel Tape-Kobrissa is recovering from a muscular injury of his own.

With that in mind, Equi Fernandez and Malik Tillmann look set to start in a double pivot, shielding centre-backs Jarell Quansah, Robert Andrich and Jeanuel Belocian.

Hamburger SV possible starting lineup:

Fernandes; Capaldo, Vuskovic, Ramos; Jatta, Lokonga, Remberg, Muheim; Vieira, Downs, Dompe

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Flekken; Quansah, Andrich, Belocian; Arthur, Tillman, Fernandez, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Tella; Terrier