Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Indonesia
Nigeria

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).
Latest

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

Top News

27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea saw a last-gasp winner ruled out but nevertheless completed an impressive comeback to hold Aston Villa to a 2-2 Premier League draw at Villa Park. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both Estrela Amadora and SC Farense will be looking to open up some daylight between themselves and the Primeira Liga relegation zone when they face off on Monday night. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth will attempt to equal a club record when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Vitality Stadium for Sunday's Premier League contest. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Round 34 of the 2023-24 Turkish Super Lig concludes on Monday evening as Fatih Karagumruk host Antalyaspor at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League ever-presents Everton can look forward to another campaign in the big time thanks to a 1-0 win over Brentford at Goodison Park. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have made three changes for Saturday's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has apologised to Sporting Lisbon supporters after admitting that the timing and publicity of his talks in London with West Ham United were "completely wrong". 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona reportedly hope to ward off Manchester United interest in one of their star defenders by offering him a lucrative contract renewal. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have set a new Premier League scoring record after coming from behind to beat Sheffield United 5-1 at St James' Park on Saturday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly running out of patience with one of their first-team attackers as their Premier League title fight ends with a whimper. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah made a cryptic "fire" comment after his touchline row with Jurgen Klopp in the Reds' 2-2 draw with West Ham United. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are prepared to part ways with four home-grown players this summer in order to retain Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain-linked defender Levi Colwill, according to a report. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City will be looking to strengthen their Premier League title when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are leading the race ahead of both Manchester City and Manchester United to sign Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Kaoru Mitoma this summer, according to a report. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United manager David Moyes has insisted that his side did not specifically target any aerial weaknesses in Liverpool's defence during their 2-2 draw at the London Stadium this afternoon. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Rather than a glorious send-off for one of their greatest-ever managers, the story of Jurgen Klopp's final season as Liverpool boss is fast turning into what might have been. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Jarrod Bowen has followed in the footsteps of Geoff Hurst and Paolo Di Canio after scoring in West Ham United's 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Premier League title chances effectively crashed and burned in a 2-2 draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium, where Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah were seen engaging in a touchline spat in the second half. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League and Serie A-winning head coach Antonio Conte has supposedly agreed a return to management by signing a three-year contract with an Italian giant. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool title hopes suffer huge setback against West Ham United 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof is reportedly being linked with a transfer away from Old Trafford this summer, with Galatasaray showing apparent interest. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez have been dropped from Liverpool's starting lineup for their Premier League clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could supposedly make a surprise U-turn on their decision to accept offers for out-of-favour midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could supposedly try to steal a march on their rivals in the race for Genoa's Albert Gudmundsson by proposing a swap deal for the Icelandic striker. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly deployed scouts to keep an eye on a prolific Primeira Liga centre-forward also wanted by Arsenal. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City make the trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End looking for the win that could secure the Championship title. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promoted together last year, Genoa and Cagliari will both seek points to secure Serie A survival when they meet at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Monday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona boss Xavi must find a solution to Frenkie de Jong's absence for Monday's La Liga contest with Valencia at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich have been holding conversations with Ralf Rangnick regarding the possibility of replacing Thomas Tuchel, according to the club's former president Uli Hoeness. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk On the brink of relinquishing their La Liga crown, Barcelona at least endeavour to salvage some pride when Valencia arrive at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Monday night.