Mainz 05 vs. Bayern Munich Preview: Anticipating an Epic Encounter

After the international break, champion Bayern Munich will play their return to Bundesliga action on Saturday at MEWA Arena against struggling Mainz 05.

After seven games, Bayern is not at the top of the standings for once, but its rivals Mainz haven't won in the league this year.

Match preview

• In their last league match of the two weeks, Bayern Munich defeated Freiburg 3-0 at the Allianz Arena thanks to two goals from Kingsley Coman and a goal from Leroy Sane, who also scored for the third straight game.
• As they get ready for Saturday night's game, Bayern is three points off of first place, having already lost ground to both Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen with a second draw of the season.
• Germany's defending champions may have won all seven of their games for the first time in seven years, but Die Werkself's match against Wolfsburg a few hours earlier may leave them five points behind Leverkusen before they ever take the field. 
• Thomas Tuchel now brings his present team back to his former haunt, Mainz, where he had several fruitful years as head coach from 2009 to 2014. Harry Kane's front line should put a stop to the Bavarian giants' troubles away to Die Nullfunfer.
• With 19 goals surrendered, Mainz has the joint-worst defence in the Bundesliga, while Bayern, after Coman's first two top-tier goals of the season, has the joint-best offensive, averaging nearly three goals per game.
• The sole cause for the visitors' pessimism is undoubtedly their dismal recent performance at MEWA Arena, where they have dropped all three of their league games. Mainz would want to snap this losing streak this coming weekend.
• Actually, Die Nullfunfer has won more games at home against Bayern Munich in that remarkable run of consecutive triumphs than in all of their other 14 tries combined.
• Just after the year 2000, Schalke became the last team to beat Bayern four times in a row. Now, Mainz's coach Bo Svensson has the opportunity to become the first manager to defeat Bayern in all four of his Bundesliga home games. 
• But Svensson's team has lost nine of their past 12 league games since they last triumphed in a top-flight match, which came in April in a shocking 3-1 loss to none other than Bayern.
• Because of this, Mainz has had its second-worst start to a Bundesliga season. They are currently in the relegation zone with just two points from seven games after a 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach just before the break.

Team News

• Even if Manuel Neuer is back to full training, it seems unlikely that the 37-year-old Sven Ulreich, who is now Bayern Munich's number one, would start the game instead of Ulreich as the backup.
• The visitors' injury list still includes Raphael Guerreiro (thigh) and Dayot Upamecano (hamstring), while Serge Gnabry (arm) is also doubtful. Captain Joshua Kimmich, however, will be hoping to bounce back from a medical condition that forced him to leave his Germany duties.
• Star striker Harry Kane should be assisted by Leroy Sane, who has already scored six league goals this season—more goals away from home than any other player—and Kingsley Coman in Gnabry's absence. To far, the latter has had a direct hand in six Bundesliga goals versus Mainz: two assists and four of his own.
• As a result of Noussair Mazraoui's social media post over the Israel-Gaza crisis earlier this week, Thomas Tuchel may need to rearrange his starting lineup once more. A ban is anticipated. As a result, Bouna Sarr could be needed at right back, while Konrad Laimer might step in if needed.
• Anwar El Ghazi, who has been suspended indefinitely by the team for making a similar public declaration to that of Mazraoui, has also been dealt with forcefully by Mainz.
• Together with the former Aston Villa winger, the home team's injury list also includes Andreas Hanche-Olsen (ankle) and Jonathan Burkardt (knee), while Maxim Leitsch and Austrian attacker Karim Onisiwo are questionable.
• Brajan Gruda is expected to stay in Bo Svensson's forward line after his goal against Gladbach the previous time out, with Onisiwo probably out.
• Zentner, Van den Berg, Bell, Fernandes; Da Costa, Barreiro, Kohr, Caci; Lee, Gruda; Ajorque might be Mainz 05's starting lineup.
• Ulreich; Laimer, Kim, De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Coman, Musiala, Sane; Kane are the potential starting lineup members for Bayern Munich.