1. FSV Mainz 05
v
FC Bayern MA?nchen
Coface Arena, Mainz
Saturday 26th September, 2015, 14:30 GMT
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German champions Bayern Munich will be looking to continue their 100% win record in the Bundesliga when they take on mid-table Mainz at the Coface Arena in the lunch time kick off on Saturday. Bayern continued their domestic domination in midweek as they beat last yeara s runners up Wolfsburg 5-1 at the Allianz Arena courtesy of a 9-minute 5-goal blitz by their Polish striker Robert Lewandowski.
Prior to last week’s 1-0 loss against Bayer Leverkusen, Mainz had enjoyed their best start to a Bundesliga campaign since 2010-11 and will be hoping to stop the marauding Bayern Munich juggernaut.
Team News and Tactics
1. FSV Mainz 05
Sitting in the ninth place, Mainz have won 2 out of their 3 home matches this season, beating Hoffenheim and Hannover and losing to newly promoted Ingolstadt.
22-year-old German goalkeeper Loris Karius will start in goal for the Die Nullfunfer. The four “B’s” (Brosinski, Bungert, Bell and Bengtsson) will continue in defence for Mainz.
Swiss International midfielder Fabian Frei, who signed for Mainz from FC Basel in January, hasn’t yet recovered from a hamstring injury and wont be featuring against Bayern along with long term absentee Elkin Soto.
The highly effective midfield pivot of Baumgartlinger and Moritz will continue to shield the defence behind the attacking trio of Clemens, Malli and Sampeiro. Former Borussia Monchengladbach star Yunus Malli is the man to watch in the Die Nullfunfer side, having scored 5 goals in the last 4 matches.
Newly recruited Japanese striker Yoshinori Muto will start up front for Mainz.
Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Karius; Brosinski, Bungert, Bell, Bengtsson; Baumgartlinger, Moritz; Clemens, Malli, Sampeiro; Muto.
FC Bayern MA?nchen
Bayern Munich will be looking to build upon their highly impressive 5-1 home win over Wolfsburg in midweek. Considering their midweek exertions and the upcoming Champions League clash against GNK Dinamo Zagreb, Bayern are expected to make wholesale changes to their starting lineup at the weekend.
Manuel Neuer will start in goal for Bayern behind the 4 man defensive line of Lahm, Boateng, Martinez and Alaba. Javi Martinez, who came on for Juan Bernat at halftime in midweek is expected to replace the Spaniard in the starting lineup.
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Vidal and Alonso will continue to operate as the two holding players in midfield ahead of the defence. Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller and Douglas Costa will play ahead of them in a more attacking role in midfield.
The man of the moment, Robert Lewandowski, will start up front for the Bavarians after being given a bench role in midweek.
Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Jan Kirchhoff, Holger Badstuber and Mehdi Benatia are all out injured.
Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Martinez, Alaba; Vidal, Alonso; Gotze, Muller, Costa; Lewandowski.
Key Facts
- In the 18 matches played between the two sides, an average of 3.7 goals per match have been scored.
- Bayern have 14 wins, two draws and three defeats against Mainz with an overall goal difference of 50:22.
- Mainz scored 66% (6) of their goals so far in 33% (2) of their games.
- On an average, Mainz have scored 1.5 goals per game and conceded one.
Player to watch out for:
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski sent social media into meltdown following his virtuoso performance against Wolfsburg on Tuesday. The Polish International endured a slow start to the current season with his teammate Thomas Muller grabbing the headlines instead.
However, Lewandowski’s 5-goal blitz has put him firmly back onto the map and propelled him to the top of the Bundesliga goal scoring charts. If Lewandowski can repeat even half the heroics he produced in midweek, Bayern will fancy their chances of a comfortable win against Mainz.
Prediction
Mainz 0 – 3 Bayern Munich
Mainz have been a bogey team for Bayern Munich over the years as they beat the Bavarians in 3 successive seasons in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. However, with Bayern having a 100% win record in all competitions this season and considering their systematic dismantling of last year’s runners up Wolfsburg in midweek, anything other than a comfortable away win will be a major surprise.
Blast from the Past: