A significant encounter between two Bundesliga teams facing relegation looms as Mainz 05 prepares to face SV Darmstadt 98 at Mewa Arena on Saturday afternoon. The match, occurring amidst the relegation battle, holds importance for both clubs.
In their previous encounter in mid-November, the teams ended in a stalemate with a goalless draw at Merck-Stadion am Bollenfalltor, underscoring the competitiveness between them.
Match preview
Mainz Football Club has encountered a challenging season, consistently competing near the lower echelons of the Bundesliga standings. However, recent performances have injected renewed optimism into their bid to maintain their position in the top-flight league for the 16th consecutive season. Over their last four Bundesliga encounters, Mainz has garnered five crucial points.
Since the appointment of head coach Bo Henriksen in mid-February, Mainz has remained undefeated on their home turf, most recently securing a commendable 2-0 victory against VfL Bochum at the Mewa Arena. Additionally, they demonstrated resilience by clinching a valuable point in a goalless draw against RB Leipzig, a team vying for a spot in the top four.
Currently occupying the 16th position, which is the relegation playoff slot, Mainz finds themselves merely one point clear of the bottom two teams. Furthermore, they trail by six points from securing safety outright. Historically, such a six-point gap between the 16th and 15th positions has rarely been bridged at this stage of a Bundesliga season since the introduction of the three-point rule.
In their upcoming fixture against Darmstadt, Mainz aims to capitalize on their recent form, having amassed eight points from their last five encounters with their opponents (two wins, two draws, one loss). Conversely, Darmstadt enters the match amid a daunting winless streak of 20 Bundesliga matches, a club record. Despite salvaging a draw against Bochum in their previous outing, they remain anchored at the bottom of the table, trailing Mainz by six points.
While Darmstadt’s head coach, Torsten Lieberknecht, remains resolute in his team’s pursuit of survival, the reality of a bottom-three finish looms large, with a considerable 12-point deficit behind the 15th-placed Bochum. Notably, Darmstadt endeavors to avoid matching the inglorious feat of enduring a winless streak of 21 Bundesliga matches, a feat last accomplished by Kaiserslautern in the 2011-12 season. Their last victory against Mainz away from home dates back to November 1992, when they secured a 1-0 victory while competing in the second tier of German football.
Team News
Mainz will face lineup challenges as Stefan Bell, suffering from heart inflammation, and Maxim Leitsch, dealing with a muscle issue, will be unavailable for selection. Meanwhile, Nelson Weiper, who has been absent since September due to a lingering knee injury, is nearing a comeback and will undergo assessment prior to the match.
Dominik Kohr, having served a one-match suspension previously, is now eligible for selection on Saturday. He may potentially slot into the lineup in place of either Andreas Hanche-Olsen or Joshua Guilavogui in the central defensive role.
Jonathan Burkardt, having secured four goals this season, retains his position as Mainz’s top scorer and is poised to feature in the attacking lineup alongside Ludovic Ajorque and Karim Onisiwo. However, there’s a possibility of Lee Jae-sung being reintroduced into the starting XI, potentially replacing one of the aforementioned trio.
On the Darmstadt side, their roster continues to be plagued by injuries. Marvin Mehlem remains sidelined due to a broken leg, while Fabian Nurnberger, Fraser Hornby, and Fabio Torsiello are out with ankle and muscle issues, respectively. Additionally, Fabian Holland, Andreas Muller, and Patric Pfeiffer are all uncertain for selection due to groin problems and illness.
Following his fifth yellow card of the season, Klaus Gjasula faces a one-game suspension this weekend, paving the way for Tobias Kempe to potentially fill his midfield position alongside Julian Justvan, Mathias Honsak, and Braydon Manu.
Starke, with eight goals to his name this season, significantly outstripping his teammates in scoring, is anticipated to lead the attack alongside Vilhelmsson.
Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Zentner; Van den Berg, Guilavogui, Hanche-Olsen; Widmer, Barreiro, Amiri, Mwene; Burkardt, Lee; Ajorque
SV Darmstadt 98 possible starting lineup:
Schuhen; Bader, Klarer, Isherwood, Karic; Justvan, Franjic, Kempe, Honsak; Skarke, Vilhelmsson