Mainz vs Union Berlin – News and Probable Lineups

Union Berlin’s pioneering head coach Marie-Louise Eta is still seeking her first victory in this role, with her next chance awaiting at Mainz 05 this Sunday evening.

Die Eisernen are undergoing a six-match winless streak in the Bundesliga, whereas Mainz will be eager for a significant outcome in their last home fixture of the campaign.

Match overview

Although Mainz is comfortably out of the relegation zone and too distant to aim for European spots, this upcoming match certainly carries weight.

In fact, this match is crucial for Mainz’s head coach Urs Fischer as he faces his former club.

The Swiss manager made a mark in Berlin by steering Union towards historic Bundesliga promotion and later introducing Champions League football to the city.

Despite his connections to the team, Fischer has stated that he’s not in a position to “give presents” and is determined to secure six points from the last two matches of the season.

Mainz approaches this Sunday’s clash following last weekend’s 2-1 win against St Pauli – a result that snapped the club’s four-match winless streak in all competitions.

Now, Die Nulfunfer’s next challenge will be to break their home winless spell, as they look for their first Bundesliga victory at the Mewa Arena in nearly two months.

Union Berlin’s Eta has made waves by becoming the first female head coach in Europe’s top five leagues, yet her tenure has not unfolded as anticipated.

The 34-year-old’s start was marked by consecutive losses to Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig before finally securing a breakthrough against FC Koln last weekend.

In that match, Eta’s squad displayed considerable resilience, netting two goals in the last 17 minutes to rally back for a 2-2 draw – a result that guaranteed the club’s Bundesliga status for the upcoming season.

The immediate goal for the German coach is to clinch that elusive first win, with optimism high as Union remains undefeated in their last nine encounters with Mainz.

However, a major challenge for Union lies in addressing their defensive frailties, which have seen them concede 15 goals in their recent six matches.

Indeed, Die Eisernen have not recorded a clean sheet since a 1-0 away win at Freiburg back in March.

Mainz 05 Bundesliga form:

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Mainz 05 form (all competitions):

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Union Berlin Bundesliga form:

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Team News

The significant news from Mainz revolves around goalkeeper Daniel Batz, who has announced his move to Borussia Monchengladbach at season’s end.

The 35-year-old is anticipated to play on Sunday for his farewell at the Mewa Arena.

Additionally, Jae-Sung Lee has resumed training following an injury to his toe, but he is unlikely to participate this weekend.

Striker Silas recently signed a new contract with Mainz, yet the 27-year-old remains sidelined due to a broken leg.

Maxim Leitsch (thigh), Maxim Dal (knee), and Benedict Hollerbach (Achilles) are also ruled out for this weekend’s match.

On the flip side, Union Berlin continues to face a crisis in goalkeeping, with two custodians unavailable.

Matheo Raab is dealing with a hand injury, while Frederik Ronnow has suffered a muscle issue against RB Leipzig, leading to another chance for Carl Klaus to step up.

Robert Skov, who has only featured three times this season, is also out with a muscle injury.

Mainz 05 probable starting XI:

Batz; da Costa, Posch, Kohr; Widmer, Nebel, Sano, Amiri, Mwene; Becker, Tietz

Union Berlin probable starting XI:

Claus; Doech, Leith, the Sorcerer; Trimmel, Schafer, Khedira, Kemlein, Rothe; Burke, Horse

Union Berlin displayed considerable determination against Koln last weekend, although their slow starts in recent fixtures are becoming concerning.

Nonetheless, we are predicting that the visitors could manage to secure a point against a Mainz side that holds the fourth-worst home record in the Bundesliga.