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

bundesliga.com, 4 December 2021, 10:20
Ridle Baku will be hopeful he can help stuttering Wolfsburg find some fluency when they travel to the Germany international's former club Mainz on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CET).
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Mainz looked toothless as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Stuttgart last time out to extend their winless run to three matches. No one will be pushing the panic button at the Carnival club, particularly because they mustered a combined 30 goal attempts in their last two home matches, both of which ended in draws. "It changes nothing that we lost today," said coach Bo Svensson after the Matchday 13 loss. "Our methods and ambitions remain the same, independent of results." Dominik Kohr (thigh), Anderson Lucoqui (knee) and Jeremiah St. Juste (shoulder) all remain sidelined and are not expected to return before the Rückrunde, but Stefan Bell returns to the back three after suspension. The dangerous duo of Jonathan Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo should continue up top.

Wolfsburg are winless in their last three competitive games, and have lost the last two, including the Matchday 13 defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund. Baku had set up Wout Weghorst to put them ahead inside two minutes, but the Wolves eventually succumbed. That run has seen them slide down the table and out of the European qualifying places, and Florian Kohfeldt's men come into the weekend in seventh. Kohfeldt will be hopeful first-choice goalkeeper Koen Casteels can return after missing the last two games — if not, Pavao Pervan will continue to deputise. Luca Waldschmidt came off the bench against Dortmund for his first appearance since recovering from a thigh injury, and the Germany international is likely to start among the substitutes again, with the in-form Lukas Nmecha now one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Match stats

Burkardt has scored at least once in four of his last six league matches, and three of four at home.

Despite sitting sixth league-wide for shots on goal (32), Onisiwo has scored just once in 11 appearances in this season's Bundesliga.

Mainz have not won at home to Wolfsburg since November 2015. It represents one of only two wins in 12 home meetings with the Wolves (D5, L6).

Baku registered three goals and five assists in 54 games for Mainz. He's produced 10 and nine respectively in as many competitive outings for Wolfsburg.

Weghorst has scored in two successive Bundesliga matches for the second time this season to join Nmecha on five goals. He last scored in three straight games in April.

Wolfsburg have won just one of their last seven away matches in all competitions (D2, L4).

Probable line-ups

Mainz: Zentner - Bell, Hack, Niakhate (c) - Widmer, Lee, Barreiro, Boetius, Martin - Burkardt, Onisiwo

Out: Kohr (thigh), Lucoqui (knee), St. Juste (shoulder)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Bo Svensson

Wolfsburg: Pervan - Lacroix, Guilavogui, Brooks - Baku, Vranckx, Arnold (c), Otavio - Lukebakio, Weghorst, L. Nmecha

Out: Bialek (knee), Mehmedi (muscular), Schlager (knee), William (knee)

Doubtful: Casteels (match fitness)

Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

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