Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

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

22 December 2024 talksport.com Southampton's new head coach Ivan Juric is one not to be messed with as his physical scrap with Torino's sporting director showed. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking to pick up a third straight home win in the Primeira Liga, Vitoria de Guimaraes play host to Nacional at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques on Monday. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is reportedly looking for the Red Devils to build a new scouting team in Portugal in a bid to unearth the next Cristiano Ronaldo. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick is reportedly not interested in signing Manchester United attacker Alejandro Garnacho during next summer's transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool must take advantage of Tottenham Hotspur's considerable weaknesses and will be confident of victory on Sunday according to Reds expert David Lynch. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The January transfer window is almost here and clubs around the UK and Europe are lining up moves as they look to take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Union Saint-Jean vs. Monaco (Sunday, 1.45pm) On Sunday, in a David vs. Goliath affair, Union Saint-Jean can pull off one of the biggest upsets in Coupe de France history when they take on Monaco in the round of 64 at Stadium de Toulouse. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Gaziantep vs. Antalyaspor (Sunday, 10.30am) After their Turkish Cup victory in midweek, Gaziantep will now turn their attention to the Turkish Super Lig, with Antalyaspor visiting the Kalyon Stadyumu in Sunday's gameweek 17 encounter. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Santa Clara vs. Braga (Sunday, 5.00pm) Still reeling from crashing out of the Taca de Portugal, Santa Clara return to action in the Primeira Liga when they play host to Braga at the Estadio de Sao Miguel on Sunday. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sparta vs. Ajax (Sunday, 11.15am) Ajax will be looking to end the year on a high when they travel to Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel to take on a stuttering Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie on Sunday. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Valencia vs. Alaves (Sunday, 1.00pm) Valencia will attempt to claim their third league when they welcome relegation rivals Alaves to Mestalla for Sunday's crucial La Liga encounter. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Roma vs. Parma (Sunday, 11.30am) Both struggling in the bottom half of the Serie A standings, Roma and Parma will hope for an early Christmas gift when they meet at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk VfL Bochum vs. Heidenheim (Sunday, 2.30pm) In a relegation six-pointer, VfL Bochum will hope to defeat Heidenheim when they welcome them to Vonovia Ruhrstadion on Sunday in their 15th Bundesliga game of the season. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Dundee Utd vs. Celtic (Sunday, 12.00pm) Celtic, looking to maintain their unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership, will travel to Tannadice Park on Sunday afternoon to face Dundee United. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Everton vs. Chelsea (Sunday, 2.00pm) Chelsea have the chance to go top of the Premier League for a brief time at least when they travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on Sunday. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk South American giants Palmeiras have reportedly sent an 'initial proposal' to Fulham for midfielder Andreas Pereira. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Nuno Espirito Santo will rival Arne Slot to win the Premier League's Manager of the Year award. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona want to sever ties with attacker Ansu Fati at the earliest opportunity in the January transfer window but the player is rebelling against a move, according to a report. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane has confirmed that he wants to remain at the Allianz Arena despite links with a return to the Premier League next year. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Serie A powerhouses Napoli have supposedly expressed an interest in signing Manchester United defender Harry Maguire on a free transfer next summer. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Alexander Sorloth scored a last-gasp winner as Atletico Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to go top of the La Liga table. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka has been seen leaving Selhurst Park on crutches after sustaining a suspected hamstring problem in Saturday's 5-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have written a new page of English football history thanks to their 5-1 destruction of London rivals Crystal Palace in Saturday's Premier League derby. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Round 17 of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig will be wrapped up with a clash between two sides from the Marmara region, as Istanbul Basaksehir welcome Kasimpasa to the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu on Monday evening. 21 December 2024 talksport.com Leicester loan star Facundo Buonanotte wants to see a Tottenham forward join him so they can rekindle their partnership. 21 December 2024 talksport.com Arsenal's rivals will hate it but they can definitely claim London is red after their 5-1 win over Crystal Palace. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus continued his resurgence with two goals as the Gunners demolished Crystal Palace 5-1 in the Premier League at Selhurst Park. 21 December 2024 talksport.com Arsenal fans' worst fears have been realised with Bukayo Saka substituted early with a suspected hamstring injury. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have suffered a worrying injury blow over Bukayo Saka, who appeared to pick up a hamstring problem in Saturday's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace. 21 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona and Arsenal are reportedly both interested in signing Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume, with the France Under-21s international potentially leaving Estadio Ramon next summer.