Holstein Kiel – Mainz 05

Outsider will not be able to beat a tough mid-table side at home

Holstein Kiel were one of the clubs of the Second Bundesliga last season. Despite the club's long-standing ambitions to try their hand at the elite of German football, the team entered the Bundesliga somewhat unexpectedly. Now the team from Kiel has a clear task - like Heidenheim to gain a foothold among the best teams in Germany. At the same time, the most notable strengthening of Holstein in the off-season was the acquisition of two Scandinavians from Rostov for a total of 2.8 million euros. This approach to strengthening the squad has logically led to the fact that after ten rounds of matches Rapp's wards occupy the penultimate position in the division. In turn, Mainz is a regular in the country's elite league, playing here for the sixteenth consecutive season. Not once during this period the team did not rise above fifth place and did not fall below fifteenth. Now Mainz is managed by Bo Henriksen, who last year finished with the team thirteenth. Bookmakers have identified the guests as favourites for the upcoming meeting, offering odds of 2.29 on their victory. Holstein Kiel for the past ten rounds of the championship scored a total of five points, which is the second lowest result after Bochum. Like the Ruhr club, the only pride for Rapp's wards this season is the one point gained in the meeting with Bayer. It so happened that the champion with a shoulder "shared" with both outsiders. The only victory in the championship was achieved by Holstein Kiel in the first meeting in November, when Heidenheim came to visit him. It is worth noting that Rapp's team has already crashed out of the German Cup, with a 0:3 loss to depressed Cologne. Mainz flew out of the national cup through Bayern's efforts, which is quite difficult to be ashamed of. At the same time, the guests have more reasons to be proud in the championship. Despite the status of the middle of the division, Mainz in the past five rounds lost only to Leipzig, and just before the period of national team matches at the home stadium almost in one goal defeated Borussia Dortmund. After that emotional victory, Mainz have had two weeks off, so the visitors will be in the best mood for Holstein and will prove their advantage.