The first game following the international break for RB Leipzig will be against 1. FSV Mainz 05. RBL are looking to secure a Champions League place, but the weekend’s opposition are also in the run for European football, given their recent fine run of Bundesliga form.

To date, RBL are unbeaten at home against the Zerofivers – the team even secured their biggest-ever Bundesliga win against them, an 8-0 victory in November 2019. The team will hope to secure another three points at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday at 15:30 CEST!

We take a look at our next opponent’s strengths.

Opponent analysis: 1. FSV Mainz 05

Form

Mainz have gone their last six games unbeaten, winning four and drawing two. Ninth in the table, the Zerofivers are just three points off a European place. They have drawn their last two games 1-1, away at Hertha BSC and at home to SC Freiburg.

Form Facts

Mainz 05…

… are ranked 2nd in the form table on 17 points in the second half of the season, behind only Borussia Dortmund (22 points).
… are the third-highest goalscorers in the latter half of the campaign, on 19 goals.
… have scored five goals from counter attacks in the second half of this season alone.

Team News

Key Players

Leandro Barreiro has grown to be one of the most important players in the Mainz lineup. The midfielder gives his all in every game, runs tirelessly, throws himself into numerous challenges and makes life constantly difficult for his opponents.

His teammate Danny da Costa recently called Barreiro “the most annoying opponent I’ve known, by some distance.”

Jae-sung Lee is in the form of his life – the 30-year-old has scored four goals and set up two more in the second half of this campaign.

The South Korean international has become a dangerous attacking threat, and the RBL defence will have to keep a close eye on him this Saturday.

Karim Onisiwo has recovered from his knee problems, and scored his side’s injury-time equaliser against Freiburg – the goal made him Mainz’s joint all-time leading goalscorer in the Bundesliga.

It was his 31st Bundesliga goal for his club, a number which only Robin Quaison has reached before. He will overtake the Swede with his next strike.

Unavailable players

Jonathan Burkardt, Germany U21 captain and European U21 champion in 2021, has had a tough season in comparison to his last.

Due to several injuries, he has only been able to make 11 Bundesliga appearances in 2022/23, and will be out for the foreseeable future due to knee surgery.

The latest RBL injury news can be found in our team news update.

We are #GenerationRBL

Head coach

Bo Svensson made over 100 appearances in a Mainz shirt between 2007 and 2014. Since January 2021, the Dane has been head coach of the club he used to play in central defence for.

Having been at the helm for two years and three months, Svensson is already the third longest-serving head coach in the Bundesliga, behind Freiburg’s Christian Streich and Union Berlin’s Urs Fischer.

Svensson’s style of play is dominated by hard, intense work. His players press the opposition high and look to win the ball back to start quick counter attacks. Since taking over, Mainz have become very eager to run and aggressive.

Head-to-head vs. Mainz

Direct comparison

7 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses – 39 goals for RBL, 19 for Mainz
5 home wins, 2 away wins for RBL
Top goalscorer: Timo Werner (13 goals)
Biggest win: 8-0 on November 2nd 2019 (Timo Werner x3, Yussuf Poulsen, Nordi Mukiele, Christopher Nkunku, Marcel Sabitzer, Marcel Halstenberg)