1. FSV Mainz 05 are set to host record champions FC Bayern München at the MEWA ARENA on Saturday afternoon (15:30 CEST). The Zerofivers have won both their last two Bundesliga home games against the Bavarians, although they were defeated 4-0 at home in the round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal earlier this year. Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel will be returning to face his former club, having taken charge of FSV during Bo Svensson’s time as a player.
Two big games in the span of 24 hours
The day after the first team face Bayern at the MEWA ARENA, our U19s will host the Borussia Dortmund U19s in the final of the U19 Bundesliga.
Unbeaten in nine games
Mainz are currently unbeaten in their last nine games, the longest ongoing run of any side in the Bundesliga. FSV have equalled their record unbeaten run under Bo Svensson, as well as the club record within a single season. Should FSV manage to take at least a point off Bayern this weekend, it would be the first time that the Zerofivers have remained unbeaten in 10 consecutive Bundesliga games.
Bayern still top
Despite dropping points on 11 occasions this season, Bayern remain top of the table. The last time they threw away as many points was back in 2011/12, also the last season in which the Bavarians didn’t win the title.
Fewer points than normal
For the first time since 2010/11, Bayern have taken fewer than 60 points from the first 28 matchdays of the season (currently have 59).
Still scoring plenty of goals
Although none of Bayern’s strikers have scored a goal across their last five games, the Bavarians have still found the back of the net a league-high 78 times this season.
Tuchel’s successful spell in Mainz
Current Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel was in charge of the Zerofivers from 2009 to 2014. His time at the club was marked by more top-half finishes than bottom-half ones. Tuchel guided the club’s U19s to the U19 Bundesliga title, beating Dortmund in the 2009 final.
Never beaten Tuchel
Since leaving the club, Tuchel has won all four of his games against Mainz (all with Dortmund; W3, D1).
First meeting as head coaches
All 90 of Bo Svensson’s Bundesliga games for 1. FSV Mainz 05 (1 goal) came under Tuchel. The two are set to meet for the first time as head coaches this weekend.
Svensson’s positive record vs. Bayern
Svensson has a positive record against Bayern as a player and coach (W5, D2, L4). The Dane has been on the touchline for five of FSV’s six wins against FCB.
Two of FSV’s best coaches
Tuchel still holds the record for most Bundesliga games and wins at FSV, but current boss Bo Svensson tops the internal rankings in terms of win percentage, points per game and the average of goals scored and conceded.
Good from crosses
Mainz have scored a league-high 10 goals from crosses from open play this season (same as Köln). Ludovic Ajorque found the back of the net in Cologne most recently, following a cross from Silvan Widmer.
Set pieces the key
Mainz (12) have scored nearly as many goals from set pieces this season as Bayern (13). Five of the last seven goals the Bavarians have conceded have come from dead balls, while 40% of the goals they have conceded this term have come in this manner (12). They last let in more set-piece goals in 2008/09.
Good omens for a home win
In order to take points off Bayern, teams need to be willing to run hard and get stuck in. Each of the teams to take points off the record champions this season contested an average of 219 duels in their matches against FCB (average of 196 duels in games vs. teams that lost to FCB). Mainz will have no trouble doing exactly that this weekend, with the Zerofivers having a reputation for being a hard running side that contest and win a lot of challenges.
Ajorque finding his form
Ludovic Ajorque has scored five goals in his last seven games, including the opener against Köln last weekend. The 1.96m tall Frenchman is yet to score a header, but has found the back of the net three times with his left foot and twice with his right.
Officials
The referee for this weekend’s clash will be Felix Zwayer, with Marco Achmüller and Thomas Gorniak as his assistants. Matthias Jöllenbeck will be the fourth official. Martin Thomsen and Guido Kleve will be the video assistant referees for Saturday’s match.
1. FSV Mainz 05 are set to host record champions FC Bayern München at the MEWA ARENA on Saturday afternoon (15:30 CEST). The Zerofivers have won both their last two Bundesliga home games against the Bavarians, although they were defeated 4-0 at home in the round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal earlier this year. Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel will be returning to face his former club, having taken charge of FSV during Bo Svensson’s time as a player.
Two big games in the span of 24 hours
The day after the first team face Bayern at the MEWA ARENA, our U19s will host the Borussia Dortmund U19s in the final of the U19 Bundesliga.
Unbeaten in nine games
Mainz are currently unbeaten in their last nine games, the longest ongoing run of any side in the Bundesliga. FSV have equalled their record unbeaten run under Bo Svensson, as well as the club record within a single season. Should FSV manage to take at least a point off Bayern this weekend, it would be the first time that the Zerofivers have remained unbeaten in 10 consecutive Bundesliga games.
Bayern still top
Despite dropping points on 11 occasions this season, Bayern remain top of the table. The last time they threw away as many points was back in 2011/12, also the last season in which the Bavarians didn’t win the title.
Fewer points than normal
For the first time since 2010/11, Bayern have taken fewer than 60 points from the first 28 matchdays of the season (currently have 59).
Still scoring plenty of goals
Although none of Bayern’s strikers have scored a goal across their last five games, the Bavarians have still found the back of the net a league-high 78 times this season.
Tuchel’s successful spell in Mainz
Current Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel was in charge of the Zerofivers from 2009 to 2014. His time at the club was marked by more top-half finishes than bottom-half ones. Tuchel guided the club’s U19s to the U19 Bundesliga title, beating Dortmund in the 2009 final.
Never beaten Tuchel
Since leaving the club, Tuchel has won all four of his games against Mainz (all with Dortmund; W3, D1).
First meeting as head coaches
All 90 of Bo Svensson’s Bundesliga games for 1. FSV Mainz 05 (1 goal) came under Tuchel. The two are set to meet for the first time as head coaches this weekend.
Svensson’s positive record vs. Bayern
Svensson has a positive record against Bayern as a player and coach (W5, D2, L4). The Dane has been on the touchline for five of FSV’s six wins against FCB.
Two of FSV’s best coaches
Tuchel still holds the record for most Bundesliga games and wins at FSV, but current boss Bo Svensson tops the internal rankings in terms of win percentage, points per game and the average of goals scored and conceded.
Good from crosses
Mainz have scored a league-high 10 goals from crosses from open play this season (same as Köln). Ludovic Ajorque found the back of the net in Cologne most recently, following a cross from Silvan Widmer.
Set pieces the key
Mainz (12) have scored nearly as many goals from set pieces this season as Bayern (13). Five of the last seven goals the Bavarians have conceded have come from dead balls, while 40% of the goals they have conceded this term have come in this manner (12). They last let in more set-piece goals in 2008/09.
Good omens for a home win
In order to take points off Bayern, teams need to be willing to run hard and get stuck in. Each of the teams to take points off the record champions this season contested an average of 219 duels in their matches against FCB (average of 196 duels in games vs. teams that lost to FCB). Mainz will have no trouble doing exactly that this weekend, with the Zerofivers having a reputation for being a hard running side that contest and win a lot of challenges.
Ajorque finding his form
Ludovic Ajorque has scored five goals in his last seven games, including the opener against Köln last weekend. The 1.96m tall Frenchman is yet to score a header, but has found the back of the net three times with his left foot and twice with his right.
Officials
The referee for this weekend’s clash will be Felix Zwayer, with Marco Achmüller and Thomas Gorniak as his assistants. Matthias Jöllenbeck will be the fourth official. Martin Thomsen and Guido Kleve will be the video assistant referees for Saturday’s match.
