RB Leipzig vs. Mainz 05 preview: Two top-four hopefuls face off

Two teams looking to secure Champions League qualification will face off when RB Leipzig welcome Mainz 05 to the Red Bull Arena on Saturday

RB Leipzig 

Leipzig have been frustrated by a number of draws in their recent league outings, having seen five of their last six top-flight matches finish all square (W1), including their last two Bundesliga games. Die Roten Bullen played out a goalless draw with Augsburg, before they had to fight back from two goals down to take a point from last Sunday’s home game against Heidenheim. Loïs Openda pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time, before Benjamin Šeško equalised from the penalty spot just after the hour mark. As a result of the draw, Marco Rose’s side finished matchday 23 in sixth place and a point adrift of Freiburg in fourth position.

While they will be underwhelmed with their league form, Leipzig would have been pleased with their successful midweek outing against Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal. Šeško’s second-half spot-kick proved enough to clinch a 1-0 victory, sending die Roten Bullen into the semi-finals with Arminia Bielefeld, Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen. 

They will now turn their focus back to league action, with Saturday’s hosts looking to complete a league double over Mainz after winning 2-0 in October’s reverse fixture. However, that may be easier said than done given the fact they have taken just one point from their last two home league meetings with die Nullfünfer.

Team News

Leipzig are unable to call upon Benjamin Henrichs, Assan Ouédraogo, Xaver Schlager and Antonio Nusa. Meanwhile, Christoph Baumgartner will serve a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. 

Mainz 05

Mainz are currently level on 38 points with Leipzig after winning 11, drawing five and losing seven of their 23 league matches this season. Bo Henriksen’s side are sitting just above Sunday’s opponents due to their superior goal difference. Die Nullfünfer have certainly improved their goal difference in their last two outings, clinching consecutive 2-0 victories over Heidenheim and St. Pauli.

They have now claimed clean sheets in each of their last three outings, taking their overall tally to nine shutouts for the Bundesliga season – only Bayern Munich and Leipzig have recorded more this term. As a result of that result, it is unsurprising to see that Mainz boast the second-best defensive record in the division with 24 goals conceded. Saturday’s visitors also have the joint fifth-best away record in the top flight, having collected 17 points from their 11 league road trips this season. 

Mainz will be targeting a fast start against die Roten Bullen after scoring seven of their 21 away goals in the opening 15 minutes this season. No team in the Bundesliga has scored more away goals in the same time period. 

Team News

Stefan Bell remains sidelined through injury, while Dominik Kohr is suspended after he picked up his 10th yellow card of the Bundesliga season last weekend.