Elversberg vs Mainz – News and Probable Lineups

The newly promoted Elversberg aims to rebound in their Bundesliga campaign by securing a victory against Mainz 05, who will be their opponents this Friday at Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde.

Even though the hosts faced a defeat against RB Leipzig on October 24, they remain in eighth position with 10 points after seven matchweeks, which places them level on points with Mainz, currently sitting in seventh.

Match overview

Elversberg’s 4-0 defeat to Leipzig was attributed to a disappointing second half, with their opponents scoring all goals after the break.

Despite this setback, the hosts have made a solid start to their inaugural Bundesliga season, maintaining a four-point cushion above the relegation zone at this point.

Nevertheless, head coach Vincent Wagner will understandably be worried as his team has lost four of their last six fixtures in all competitions, managing just one win and one draw during that stretch.

Schwarz und Weiss have also struggled to find the net in four of their last five matches while conceding an average of two goals per game throughout those games.

Although Elversberg was knocked out of the DFB-Pokal in the second round, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Darmstadt at Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde on Tuesday, they have found success in two of their three top-flight matches at home.

Mainz also faced disappointment in the DFB-Pokal, going down 2-0 to VfL Bochum on Tuesday, marking their third defeat in four matches.

The recent Bundesliga clash saw Werder Bremen secure a 3-2 victory against them, with the winners benefiting from two penalties.

Friday’s match will mark only the third meeting between these two clubs, both of which previously occurred in the DFB-Pokal, and Mainz will be looking to maintain their perfect track record against Elversberg.

Even though the visitors succumbed to Bochum away, head coach Urs Fischer had seen his side clinch triumphs in their first four away games of the 2026-27 season.

In those three away Bundesliga victories, Mainz managed to score 10 goals while keeping two clean sheets and conceding just three times.

Team News

Elversberg will miss the services of three confirmed absentees, with right-back Jan Gyamerah (hamstring), defender Luis Seifert (ankle), and winger Tom Zimmerschied (ankle) all unavailable.

Luca Sirch is expected to fill the right-back position in a back four, with Lukas Pinckert and Maximilian Rohr likely to partner as centre-backs, while Lukas Petkov and Maurice Krattenmacher may operate as wide attackers.

Mainz also faces injury challenges, with central defender Dominik Kohr (ankle) and striker Silas Katompa Mvumpa (broken leg) both sidelined until January.

Forwards Phillip Tietz and Sheraldo Becker have frequently been paired up in attack, and they are anticipated to start together on Friday.

In defence, the probable starters in a three-man backline are Danny da Costa, Stefan Posch, and Kacper Potulski.

Elversberg probable starting XI:

Christopher; Sirch, Pinckert, Rohr, Gunther; Keidel, Poreba; Petkov, Onyeka, Krattenmacher; Mokwa

Mainz 05 probable starting XI:

hundredweight; Da Costa, Posch, Potulski; Caci, Amiri, Sano, Lee, Mwene; Tietz, Becker

Neither club has displayed particularly strong performances lately, although Mainz’s away record has been impressive this season.

Elversberg’s attacking unit should pose a threat to the visitors’ defence, yet the hosts’ recent defensive struggles may ultimately prove costly this Friday.