Mainz 05 – Leverkusen

A club from Leverkusen that is in the relegation zone at the moment is expected to exchange goals with their rival

A very interesting encounter is scheduled for Saturday's programme in the fourth round of the Bundesliga. At the Meva Arena in Mainz, the clubs that did not live up to bookmakers' expectations at the start of the season will meet. Analysts had at best considered the local team of the same name to be in the middle of the table. Bayer, on the other hand, were traditionally considered one of the three potential pursuers or, at a stretch, rivals of Bayern in the fight for the league title. In reality, those predictions have so far failed. Mainz had a decent season last season, finishing in eighth place. The team did not qualify for the European competitions, but they have shown the ability to hold their own at a decent level with a small club budget. In the off-season, Mainz undertook a modest "recovery" of their squad, capitalising on the sale of two central defenders, Niakate and Saint-Juste. Despite the transformation of the defensive line, the organisation of the game when defending their goal was the key to Mainz's success in the first official matches of the season. In the German Cup, Svensson's side shut out Erzgebirge Aue 3-0, they beat Bochum and Augsburg 2-1 away in the league, and they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Union Berlin. Bayer will be the first opponent at a serious level this season and underline Mainz's ambitions for the entire championship. Although the seriousness of the Leverkusen club after losing the German cup to the very modest Elfsberg and three defeats in the Bundesliga in August is extremely doubtful. Seoane's side finished the previous season with a four-game winning streak, while their season opener saw them drop to relegation along with Bochum. "The Farmers were not active on the transfer market, relying on a sufficiently complete squad. Meanwhile, against Borussia Dortmund (0-1), Augsburg (1-2) and Hoffenheim (0-3), the German Champions League participant looked completely toothless in places. Of course, Bayer's players don't intend to push their professional level any further, which will have an impact on the game in Mainz. The visitors, of course, will be aggressive in attack, which will affect their style of play. A well-organized Mainz could well score at least one goal. Hence, we would bet on goals at both ends in this match.