The Bundesliga returns this weekend with a big fixture for Mainz as they attempt to move away from the bottom three. Mainz go into matchday 26 just four points above the relegation playoff place. A loss could see them mired in a relegation battle going into the final stretch of the campaign.
Current relegation playoff place team, Fortuna Dusseldorf, will play a six-point match against Paderborn on Saturday. A win could take them within one point of Mainz with eight games to go and put pressure on their rival.
Koln will make life difficult for Mainz at the weekend. The Billy Goats are midtable with 32 points taken from 25 matches. Just five points separate Koln from the final Europa League place.
Prior to the COVID-19 induced break, Koln had won five of their last six home matches. The team have scored 20 goals at home while conceding 16 times. Coach Markus Gisdol will hope his team can continue their solid pre-break form.
Testing out a stadium with no fans 🏟😳We miss you already 🥺#UpTheMainz pic.twitter.com/8IhF4xDUCN— Mainz 05 English (@Mainz05en) May 14, 2020
Testing out a stadium with no fans 🏟😳We miss you already 🥺#UpTheMainz pic.twitter.com/8IhF4xDUCN
He will also hope Koln can avenge their early season 3-1 loss to Mainz away from home. The good news for Gisdol is that the home team are unbeaten in the last five matches between the two clubs. Even more impressive is Koln’s unbeaten run at home versus Mainz.
To find the last time Mainz won at the Rhine Energie Stadion, you would need to go back to March 2003. Since that loss, Koln are unbeaten in nine matches at home versus Mainz.
Gisdol will have left-back Noah Katterbach available for selection after recovering from an injury. The coach should deploy former Mainz striker Jhon Cordoba to lead the line. Cordoba has bagged a team-high 10 goals.
Mainz will be without Jean-Phillipe Mateta due to a suspension. His absence will be a major blow for the team’s attack. Mainz will have top scorer Robin Quaison available to lead the offence.
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Quaison is in brilliant form with 12 goals in the Bundesliga. The Swedish striker has just 18 months left on his current contract and could attract the attention of a bigger club in the offseason. Relegation to the Bundesliga 2 would be more of an incentive for him to leave.
Sunday’s early game in Germany should follow a similar path to their match earlier this campaign. The two rivals will both find the back of the net but Koln will once again shut down Mainz at the Rhine Energie Stadion.
Mainz are in store for a relegation battle and will suffer defeat away from home. Mainz have won just four times on their travels this term. Expect over 2.5 goals and both teams to score as Koln win again at home.