Mainz 05 vs Union Berlin

RB Leipzig’s bid to consolidate their Bundesliga title pursuit continues at the Mewa Arena against basement boys Mainz 05.

Mainz’s worst-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign continued last weekend with a dramatic 2-2 draw against fellow bottom-half strugglers Bochum, intensifying pressure on manager Bo Svensson. However, a disheartening 3-0 defeat to second-tier Hertha BSC in midweek DFB-Pokal action was the final straw, as interim boss Jan Siewert prepares for his touchline debut amid the club’s embarrassing nine-match winless run in the Bundesliga (D3, L6). Nailed to the bottom of the standings as one of only two clubs yet to taste success in the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign, Mainz fans must be skeptical about their team’s chances of extending an impressive three-game unbeaten home league run against Leipzig (W2, D1). Adding to their concerns, ‘Die Nullfünfer’ have lost their last three top-flight outings on home turf, conceding precisely three goals on each occasion.

In stark contrast to Mainz’s rough patch, visiting RB Leipzig ought to take this trip in a buoyant mood after an overwhelming 6-0 home win over Cologne last weekend propelled them to fifth in the standings, only five points below pacesetters Bayer Leverkusen. Since losing to ‘Die Werkself’ on the opening weekend, Marco Rose’s men have hit a purple patch, racking up an eye-catching eight-game unbeaten Bundesliga run (W6, D2), including victories on their last three league travels. ‘Die Roten Bullen’ returned an emphatic +6 goal difference from those three wins (GF7, GA1), suggesting this trip could be a mere formality. But they cannot take this fixture lightly after slipping to a 1-0 DFB-Pokal loss at Wolfsburg in midweek.