FSV Mainz 05 – Bayer Leverkusen
Mainz 05 is facing its biggest opportunity in nine years. If the Rheinhessen win against runners-up Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, they will secure a European place, but if they lose, they could fall behind Leipzig. The visitors are traveling without any sporting pressure, but with many questions about the future surrounding coach Xabi Alonso, Florian Wirtz, and Jonathan Tah, which adds extra spice to the encounter. The recent 1-0 win in the head-to-head and four wins from five games clearly favor Leverkusen. At the same time, the 2-4 home defeat against Dortmund showed that the Werkself are also vulnerable.
Mainz – Leverkusen info
- Venue: MEWA ARENA, Mainz
- Date and time: May 17, 2025, 3:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 34)
Mainz form & record check
Despite being sixth in the table, the Rheinhessen are not in top form. Only one win in five league games and a painful 1-4 defeat in Bochum highlight their inconsistency. They are reliable in front of goal, but defensively the team has conceded at least one goal in all five games, in four cases before half-time. The absence of Robin Zentner and Moritz Jenz is clearly noticeable.
Bo Henriksen is likely to stick with a 3-4-2-1 formation. Rieß will replace Zentner in goal, with Bell, van den Berg, and Fernandes in front of him. Amiri will dictate play in midfield, with Nebel and Lee operating behind the speedy Burkardt. The absences of Kohr and Jenz will force some improvisation in the center.
Leverkusen form & record check
Leverkusen are having a strong season but have stalled in the final stages. They have won just one of their last five league games, drawing three and losing 4-2 to Dortmund. The Werkself have almost always been dangerous in attack, but have occasionally lacked the final touch in defense, which can also be attributed to the unrest surrounding Wirtz, Tah, and a possible departure for Alonso.
Xabi Alonso is also expected to stick with a 3-4-2-1 formation. Hrádecký, Tapsoba, Tah, and Hincapié will form the defensive axis, with Frimpong and Grimaldo on the wings and Andrich and Xhaka in the center. Wirtz and Adli will orchestrate the attack, with Tella likely to start up front.
H2H Mainz – Leverkusen Head-to-head & statistics
Leverkusen have won four of the last five direct encounters, with Mainz winning one. The Werkself have always scored at least one goal, and in four of those games they scored three or more, often before half-time. The most recent meeting in January ended 1-0 for Bayer. The statistics therefore clearly favor Leverkusen, with Mainz never keeping a clean sheet in this series.
