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VfL Wolfsburg vs. FSV Mainz
The 31st matchday of the Bundesliga is opened by two in-form teams. VfL Wolfsburg have lost four of their last five games and went down 1:6 at Borussia Dortmund last weekend. FSV Mainz 05, for its part, has been waiting four games for a win. The last time the 05ers won away from home was in October 2021. Kick-off in the direct duel is on Friday at 20:30.
While the ninth-placed Mainz should not have too much at stake this season – both the relegation and the European Cup places are too far away – Wolfsburg, in their current form, still have to tremble a little about staying in the league. At the moment, however, they are six points ahead of the relegation zone. Find out whether we think they can extend their lead against Mainz and what other predictions we have for this game in our Wolfsburg vs Mainz tip.
Wolfsburg vs Mainz Infos
– Date & Time: 22.04.2022, 20:30 Uhr
– Venue: Wolfsburg, Volkswagen Arena
– Competition: Bundesliga, 31st matchday
– TV broadcast: Live on DAZN
Wolfsburg Form & Balance Check
The Wolves were already 5-0 down at half-time in Dortmund last weekend. But anyone who thinks they got off lightly with the final score of 1:6 also forgets that they themselves had a great chance to take the early lead through Lukas Nmecha in the 3rd minute of the game. However, Tom Rothe’s debut goal (24′) was the latest to break VfL’s resistance. Within the next 12 minutes, the Lower Saxons conceded four more goals.
The 1:6 defeat was the Wolves’ highest defeat of the season. Only one other time had they conceded more than three goals this season – in the 0:4 against FC Bayern München.
Defeat against Dortmund ushered in weakest phase
VfL had already lost to BVB in the first half of the season. The 3-1 defeat was the first of six in a row. Wolfsburg then lost 3-0 in Mainz, but with four defeats in their last five games and a six-point lead over Stuttgart (28 points) in the relegation play-off places, they cannot afford another negative series. They will play VfB in a direct duel on matchday 32 before facing the strong Cologne side and FC Bayern München to close out the season.
Wolfsburg facts & analysis
– Lost 4 of their last 5 games.
– 14 goals conceded in last 5 matches
– Won 2 of last 3 home matches (1 defeat)
Mainz form & balance check
Mainz are seven points behind seventh place, a possible European Cup spot, should the DFB Cup winners qualify for Europe via the Bundesliga. In recent weeks, however, Mainz have squandered their chances of making it to the European Cup for the first time since the 2016/17 season. Despite some convincing performances, they did not win any of their last four matches. The 3-2 defeat in Cologne, when Mainz squandered a 2-0 lead, certainly weighed most heavily in this period. Last weekend, FSV drew goalless with VfB Stuttgart.
Two faces
Mainz is the Bundesliga team with the biggest difference in performance between home and away games. In the home table, the 05ers are fourth and on course for the Champions League. They have 31 points in 15 home games, only six less than FC Bayern München. In the away table, however, FSV is in a relegation spot. The Mainz team collected only eight points in 15 away games. Only Greuther Fürth (3 points) has been weaker away from home this season.
Mainz facts & analysis
– 4 league games in a row not won.
– Lost 3 of last 4 away games (1 draw)
– second worst away team in the league (8 points in 15 games)
Predicted line-up – last update on 20 April 2022
It may surprise some, but we expect the Wolves without any great changes in the starting eleven compared to the 1:6 defeat against BVB. After all, it was the same eleven that defeated Arminia Bielefeld 4-0 the previous week. The only change compared to the Dortmund game is likely to be on Wolfsburg’s left side. Jerome Roussillon is expected to take his usual place again after recovering from injury, with Yannick Gerhardt returning to the bench in his place.
The only change for Mainz compared to the last game will be at left-back. Aarón Martin, who was yellow-carded against Stuttgart, will probably start again against Wolfsburg.
Wolfsburg – Mainz direct comparison & Statistics
The overall record between Wolfsburg and Mainz is in favour of the VfL. In 41 encounters, the Wolves have won 16 times, Mainz ten. Fifteen encounters ended in a draw. In the last two games, however, FSV was successful. In the first leg, it won clearly and emphatically with 3:0.
– Mainz won their last two matches against VfL
– Mainz scored 3 goals in each of their last two direct duels
– Wolfsburg have scored at least twice in each of their last 3 home matches against Mainz
– After 6 previous draws in a row, none of the last 6 encounters ended in a draw
