Bayern Munich face Mainz away from home before going into the international break on Saturday in their next Bundesliga encounter as they look to extend their unbeaten run.
Mainz vs Bayern Munich – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 7th October.
- Kick-off: 2:30pm BST.
- Venue: Mewa Arena, Mainz.
Mainz team news
Mainz 05 face a major defensive reshuffle for tonight’s home fixture, as head coach Urs Fischer must contend with both key suspensions and lingering injuries.
The hosts will be without two regular starters in their backline, with centre-back Stefan Posch serving a one-match ban following a red card and left-back Phillipp Mwene suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
On the injury front, versatile defender Dominik Kohr remains unavailable with an ankle injury, while forward Silas is still sidelined as he works his way back to full fitness following a broken ankle.
In a welcome boost for the midfield, Otto Ruoppi has fully recovered from a recent knee issue and is back in contention for the matchday squad.
With several defensive regulars missing, Fischer is expected to rely on experienced squad options like Danny da Costa and Silvan Widmer to help contain Bayern Munich’s attack.
Bayern Munich team news
Bayern Munich head into tonight’s Bundesliga Matchday 9 clash at the MEWA Arena under the guidance of assistant coach Aaron Danks, as manager Vincent Kompany continues his recovery from illness.
The German giants are navigating a significant injury crisis in their attacking department, with five key players ruled out. Although Jamal Musiala returned to team training earlier this week following a thigh problem, Danks confirmed that this fixture comes slightly too soon for his comeback.
He remains sidelined alongside Luis Díaz (thigh/hamstring), Serge Gnabry (hamstring), Ismael Saibari (ankle), and Bara Ndiaye, who is still recovering from appendix surgery.
There is better news defensively, as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is fit to start after shaking off a foot issue. Meanwhile, midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović is back in training after a calf strain and faces a late fitness test, while Alphonso Davies could be rested or see restricted minutes to carefully manage his workload.
Form
Mainz
Mainz 05 are enduring a difficult run of form, having lost four of their last five matches across all competitions, including three consecutive defeats. Sitting tenth in the Bundesliga with 10 points, Urs Fischer’s side suffered a heavy 4-1 away loss to newly promoted Elversberg in their last league outing. Furthermore, Mainz remain winless at the MEWA Arena this season, collecting just a single point from four home fixtures while conceding regularly.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich enter Matchday 9 unbeaten across all competitions this season, sitting atop the Bundesliga on goal difference with 18 points from five wins and three draws. While they were held to a frustrating 2-2 league draw against Borussia Dortmund last weekend after conceding a late equalizer, the Bavarians bounced back strongly on Tuesday. Overcoming several injury absences, they secured an impressive 2-0 away victory against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.
Predicted lineups
Mainz: Zentner; Da Costa, Gruber, Potulski; Caci, Lee, Sano, Amiri, Widmer; Tietz, Becker
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Brown; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Karl, Davies; Kane
How to watch Mainz vs Bayern Munich?
In the UK, you can watch Mainz 05 vs. Bayern Munich live via Amazon Prime Video.
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