Predicted lineups
The hosts are still chasing a first league victory, while Ole Werner’s visitors look to build on their win before the break as the two sides meet at the Mewa Arena.
| (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images) |
Mainz 05
Mainz have finally emerged from a brutal stretch of five games in 13 days before the international break. A five-day pause from training gave Bo Henriksen and his squad a much-needed chance to recharge, especially for those not away on international duty. While Mainz progressed in both the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Conference League, their league form has suffered, with only one point collected from their opening two fixtures.
Their most recent outing produced a 1-1 draw away at Wolfsburg. After Aaron Zehnter’s deflected strike in the ninth minute, Mainz struggled to break down their hosts despite dominating. But an 89th-minute handball from Konstantinos Koulierakis handed them a lifeline via a penalty, which Nadiem Amiri calmly converted to secure a point. Henriksen praised his players afterward for their resilience, noting they had delivered “this performance after five games in 13 days.”
Mainz refused to stand still as the transfer window drew to a close. With Jonathan Burkardt departing early in the window and new signing Benedict Hollerbach sidelined, the need for another forward had been clear for a little while. One name kept resurfacing – William Bøving. On deadline day, they got their man for a reported €3 million. Sporting Director Niko Bungert was full of praise: “William is exactly what we are looking for. He is hard working, intelligent, and deadly in front of goal – the sort of player that can really help us. He’s only 22 as well, which means he has the chance to develop even further.”
Looking ahead to Leipzig, defender Danny da Costa is expecting a fierce battle: “Leipzig play aggressive, direct and purposeful attacking football, so I expect an intense game which could go in either direction right from kick-off… They have a lot of quality, especially up front, which we need to get under control early. It’s important that as soon as that whistle goes we set the tone and show that we are the home team and that we want to win.”
Mainz hold the bragging rights in terms of the head-to-head record between the two sides, with three wins out of the last five meetings. Henriksen will be hoping his side can channel the same energy that defied the odds to win 2-1 in Leipzig back in March.
Team news:
Mainz’s only fresh concern is midfielder Jae-Sung Lee, who picked up a muscle injury on international duty and is unavailable for Saturday. Paul Nebel serves the final match of his suspension, while Benedict Hollerbach is expected to miss out again with the thigh issue sustained against FC Köln.
Those attacking absences could open the door for new signing William Bøving to make his first start for the club.
RB Leipzig
A new manager in Ole Werner, new coaching staff, eight new signings and 18 departures – RB Leipzig have undergone their biggest rebuild to date as they try to ensure last season’s failures don’t have a chance of rearing their ugly head once more whilst providing Werner with the tools to drive them back into Europe.
Following the concerning 6-0 opening day defeat to Bayern, Die Roten Bullen somewhat saved face and gathered some momentum back in their favour heading into the break with a 2-0 home win over Heidenheim. Ole Werner described the victory as a “step in the right direction.”
While Leipzig had a break on the pitch, their off-field work only intensified as deadline day approached. Four more players departed – Loïs Openda, Eljif Elmas, Lutsharel Geertruida and Robert Ramsak – while striker Conrad Harder arrived from Sporting Lisbon to complete their summer business. The moves made this window mean Leipzig now have the joint-youngest squad in the Bundesliga. According to Managing Director for Sport Marcel Schäfer, the club is aiming to recapture its identity by “going back to our roots.”
Werner, meanwhile, is wary of the challenge ahead in Mainz and singled out Nadiem Amiri as a danger man: “We can expect it to be a hectic and aggressive match. We will also need to keep an eye on the players’ workloads, in order to ensure that we’re full of energy for the match. Nadiem Amiri is the playmaker in Mainz. He’s a key part of their build-up play, can deliver long passes and has a good shot as well. He’s a player who you definitely need to keep an eye on.”
Although Leipzig’s recent record against Mainz is mixed, Werner can take confidence from his personal record: four wins from four against Saturday’s hosts. He’ll hope that streak continues at the Mewa Arena.
Team news:
RB Leipzig will be without Benjamin Henrichs and Amadou Haidara. Ezechiel Banzuzi has returned to training after a hand injury and could feature on Saturday, while new signing Conrad Harder is also in line to make his debut.
Predicted lineups
Mainz 05 (3-4-2-1): Zentner (GK) – da Costa, Bell, Kohr – Caci, Amiri, Sano, Mwene – Bøving, Nordin – Weiper
RB Leipzig (4-3-3): Gulácsi (GK) – Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum – Seiwald, Schlager, Baumgartner – Diomande, Rômulo, Nusa
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