Leverkusen suffer Schick injury blow

Bayer Leverkusen will be without forward Patrik Schick for their Bundesliga home game against St Pauli due to an injury, manager Xabi Alonso said on Friday.

The 28-year-old Czech international was forced off during Leverkusen's 1-0 German Cup win over Bayern Munich in the round of 16 on Tuesday after picking up what appeared to be a calf problem.

Having netted the winner against Union Berlin in their last league game and a hat-trick over Heidenheim in November, Schick has scored five goals in the Bundesliga this season.

"Patrik won't be there tomorrow, everyone else is fit," Alonso said.

Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, Morocco midfielder Amine Adli and German winger Jonas Hofmann are long-term absentees at Leverkusen.

Leverkusen are third in the league with 23 points from 12 matches, three points fewer than second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and seven behind leaders Bayern.

Alonso said his side do not expect an easy outing against St Pauli, who are 15th in the league.

"After the DFB-Pokal, we're back in Bundesliga mode. After the win in Berlin, we want to take the next step. St Pauli play very well... We're expecting a strong opponent," he said.

"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."