Mainz 05 – Union Berlin

The capital team will not be able to take three points away from Mainz

The opening match of the next round of the Bundesliga will take place on the border of the relegation zone and will be one of the key matches in the programme in terms of tournament load. At the same time, the last season for the rivals turned out completely differently. While Mainz did not show much in the championship and can only be proud of the direct influence on the determination of Bayern as the champion of the country in the last round, Union Berlin for a while and claimed the title itself. Closer to the end of the championship the capital team focused on a place in the Champions League zone and successfully achieved it, taking the final fourth place. The current season already at the end of the first round has for both clubs inevitable signs of failure. Mainz now occupies sixteenth place, having the same number of points with the last team of the direct departure zone. Union Berlin gave out during the first half of the championship the longest series of defeats among all clubs in the Bundesliga. Now the capital team is next to the upcoming opponent, ahead of him on three points, which can be levelled already on Friday. Bookmakers have identified the hosts of the field as the favourites of the meeting, offering odds of 2.21 on their victory. As of mid-season, Mainz have just one win in seventeen matches. Despite the fact that it was over Leipzig, there is no reason to be proud of such statistics. In the last five rounds Mainz have picked up a total of three points, scoring only two goals. The focus on defence allows the visitors to pick up points, but not in the amount that will eventually allow them to keep their place in the Bundesliga. Mainz must have taken a month off to prepare for a grittier game than they did in the first round. Union Berlin, having reached the Champions League last season, failed absolutely every tournament during the first half of the current one. At a certain point, the capital team had twelve consecutive defeats. Such results "did not survive" at the head of the club glorious Urs Fischer, was sent into retirement. At the end of November, Nenad Bjelica took over the coaching position, who has never led his team to an away win until today. We bet that the home team will be closer to three points.