Leipzig back in Champions League with win over troubled St. Pauli in Bundesliga

RB Leipzig secured third place in the Bundesliga and a return to the Champions League next season with a 2-1 victory over St. Pauli on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Leipzig's goals both came from corners, with Xaver Schlager scoring just before halftime and Willi Orban heading in shortly after the break. Relegation-threatened St. Pauli pulled one back through Abdoulie Ceesay in the 86th minute, assisted by an unusual long-range header from Jackson Irvine, but it was not enough to prevent the defeat.