Mainz vs. Werder Bremen: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

Milot Rashica is hoping Werder Bremen's top-flight hopes don't fade against Mainz in what is a bona fide relegation six-pointer on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST/2.30pm BST/9.30am ET).

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Mainz come into the penultimate game of the season in 15th, two places and six points better off than their visitors, who only have already-relegated Paderborn below them. The 05ers pulled off a great escape two seasons ago and look in the mood to do the same again having stunned Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday. Jonathan Burkardt and Jean-Philippe Mateta got the goals in midweek, although the former could have to give up his place to Levin Öztunali, who replaced him after 67 minutes. If Mainz win, a 12th consecutive season of top-flight football will be theirs, and their 5-0 win in the reverse fixture is cause for optimism.

…as is Bremen 's form. Die Grün-Weißen have not been in the second tier since the 1980/81 season, when the German footballing pyramid was still regionalised at the level, but they could be relegated on Saturday if Fortuna Düsseldorf - currently one point better of the relegation play-off place - get a better result against Augsburg than Bremen do against Mainz. Bremen have lost three of their last four matches, the outlier in that time a 5-1 thrashing of Paderborn. Florian Kohfeldt's men played well against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, Yuya Osako forcing a great save from Manuel Neuer, but they had to settle for a 1-0 loss and they are running out of games for points to reflect performances. Osako is expected to get the nod up front ahead of Josh Sargent once again. Claudio Pizarro, playing his penultimate game for the club, could be an option from the bench.

Watch: Pizarro's top-flight career is coming to an end, whether or not Bremen's is

Match stats

Mainz have claimed 14 points from 16 home matches so far this season. Bremen have taken 22 of their 28 total points on their travels.

Robin Quaison scored the first hat-trick of his professional career in Bremen on Matchday 16, and has hit five across as many meetings with the Green-Whites, but is currently nine games without a goal.

Öztunali played for Bremen from January 2015 to June 2016, producing two goals and seven assists in 41 Bundesliga appearances. He's tallied nine and 16 respectively in 95 league games for Mainz.

Bremen have a better goal difference than Mainz, despite losing the reverse fixture 5-0 (Kohfeldt's heaviest defeat yet as coach).

Rashica remains without a goal since December's 6-1 loss to Bayern - a 1,321-minute drought.

All 16 of Pizarro's Bundesliga appearances this season have been as a substitute. The Peruvian is on 488 overall ahead.

Probable line-ups

Mainz: Müller - Baku, St. Juste, Niakhate, Brosinski - Kunde, Latza (c) - Öztunali, Boetius, Quaison - Mateta

Out: Awoniyi (concussion), Zentner (knee)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Achim Beierlorzer

Bremen: Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander (c), Augustinsson - M. Eggestein, Vogt, Klaassen - Bittencourt, Osako, Rashica

Out: Möhwald (knee), Sahin (hip)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Florian Kohfeldt