Mainz-Bayern Munich is a match on the eighth day of the Bundesliga and is played Saturday at 6:30pm: TV, likely lineups, predictions.
Bayern Munich finds Mainz again, a team that gave the Bavarians a big hand last season on their way to winning yet another consecutive title. It was precisely Bo Svensson’s men on the final day who stopped Borussia Dortmund despite having nothing left to lose and indirectly served the 11th Meisterschale in a row to the team coached by Thomas Tuchel on a silver platter.
Mainz, on the other hand, is today floundering in the depths of the standings: after the first seven days of the championship, it has collected only 2 points and has not won a match since last April, coincidentally, the last success they achieved was against the Bavarians, beaten in a comeback at the Mewa Arena (3-1). Times that seem very far away: the Nullfünfer are struggling to get into gear and above all they continue to concede too many goals. There are 19 goals conceded by Mainz, whose defense is the most perforated along with those of Bochum and Darmstadt. It did, however, give some signs of recovery in the last match with Borussia Monchengladbach, which ended 2-2: Gruda and Barkok had deluded the red-and-whites, who were reached two minutes from the end by Scally.
Not the best time, in short, to face the strongest and best equipped team in the Bundesliga, which has not lost since the August defeat in the German Super Cup.
Zentner, Mainz goalkeeper
There are only two half-steps so far for Bayern Munich, which has not gone beyond a draw with Bayer Leverkusen and Leipzig. While not giving that feeling of omnipotence as usual, the Bavarians are 2 points off first place and enjoying a deluxe version of Kane, who has already scored 9 goals between the league and Champions League. The former Tottenham striker is making waves along with Leroy Sané, who has scored six goals. In Mainz, however, Tuchel will have to cope with a defensive emergency. Upamecano is injured and former Juventus man de Ligt is not at his best: the coach will consider the central Goretzka solution.
The prediction
Bayern Munich should manage to break another “curse”: they have always lost in their last three matches at home to Mainz. With a Kane who also appeared to be in great form in the national team, the Bavarians will have no problem piercing the tournament’s most beaten defense. We expect at least three goals overall.
The probable lineups of Mainz-Bayern Munich
- MAINZ (3-4-2-1): Zentner; Van den Berg, Bell, Fernandes; Da Costa, Barreiro, Kohr, Caci; Gruda, Lee; Ajorque.
- BAYERN MONACO (4-2-3-1): Ulreich; Laimer, de Ligt, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sané, Musiala, Coman; Kane.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-3
