Schalke 04 vs Mainz Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Sarwar ·
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A team very hard to beat at home in Schalke 04 takes on a Mainz side who are making winning away look easy.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN+
Schalke 04 preview: Late collapse
It’s a testament to Schalke 04 that they travelled to Bundesliga high-flyers Freiburg last week and came away hugely disappointed to not pick up a single point. But after the hosts were reduced to ten men with the score at 1-1, it becomes understandable. Schalke could not capitalise and a late Freiburg goal sunk them.
That defeat sees Schalke down at the bottom end of the table, but most importantly they have not dropped into that dreaded bottom three having gone three games unbeaten prior to that loss in the Black Forest.
Mainz preview: The entertainers
Four goals or more being scored in each of Mainz’s last four Bundesliga fixtures tells you everything you need to know about how wild they’ve been in this campaign. It has been a story of inconsistency though, with two wins and two defeats since their goalless draw against Paderborn on the opening weekend.
Whilst at home Mainz have struggled, it’s been a different story on the road. Urs Fischer’s side have beaten both Hamburg and Borussia Monchengladbach on their travels in the league. You can also throw in a DFB-Pokal triumph away at Krieschow.
Schalke 04 team news: Late test for Lasme
Schalke 04 are likely to hand Bryan Lasme a late fitness test ahead of this match, as well as Dejan Ljubicic. Both missing out would expect Schalke’s injured list to five players.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Karius: Becker, Katic, Kurucay: Gantenbein, Tanaka, El-Faouzi, Gosens: Karaman, Dzeko, Aouchiche
Unavailable: Hojlund (Injured), Siebeking (Injured), Sylla (Injured)
Questionable: Lasme (Injured), Ljubicic (Injured)
Mainz team news: Little chance for experienced pair
Expect Becker and Tietz to start again up top for Mainz, who are expected to be without Kohr, Ruoppi and Silas. Widmer and Zentner could both join them on the sidelines with knee and hand injuries respectively.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Schwolow: Posch, Gruber, Potulski: Caci, Amiri, Sano, Lee, Mwene: Becker, Tietz
Unavailable Kohr (Injured), Ruoppi (Injured), Silas (Injured)
Questionable: Widmer (Injured), Zentner (Injured)
Will Schalke 04 avoid relegation from the Bundesliga this season?
Open poll and resultsSchalke 04 vs Mainz prediction
Whilst Schalke 04 have underpinned their decent start to the season by being rock solid at home, Mainz have been the ultimate road warriors with two wins and a whopping nine goals on their travels in the Bundesliga. This could be a battle between the immovable object of Schalke, who are yet to concede at home this season and the irresistible attacking force of Mainz.
If Schalke are able to soak up pressure as well as they have previously on home turf, Mainz will likely find it a lot harder to score, particularly if the hosts do not fall into the trap of committing too many does forward against a side with a very potent strike partnership. Expect this game to be more conservative than previous matches involving Mainz and backing under 2.5 goals may reap rewards.
Schalke 04 vs Mainz tip: Under 2.5 goals
