Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05 preview: Die Fohlen looking to ease relegation concerns at Borussia-Park | OneFootball

Gladbach head into this encounter looking to complete their first league double over Mainz since the 2019/20 campaign, while also creating some much-needed breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone. The visitors, meanwhile, arrive hoping to bounce back from a bruising European setback.

It has been something of a rollercoaster spell for Gladbach under Eugen Polanski. After an impressive run that appeared to stabilise the club and earn him the role on a permanent basis, results have since dipped sharply. Just two wins from 14 league matches in 2026 has dragged Die Fohlen back into trouble, leaving them 14th and only five points clear of the relegation play-off spot.

Their latest outing ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat away to RB Leipzig. Goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas delivered a standout performance, making 11 saves to keep his side in the contest for long periods, but they eventually succumbed late on.

Polanski acknowledged the pressure heading into Sunday’s clash:

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking at the table. That’s only natural with so few games left in the season. Even so, we need to focus on ourselves, put in a good performance, show real fight and passion, and do everything we can to take the three points.”

Mainz, by contrast, have enjoyed a resurgence under Urs Fischer, climbing clear of danger and collecting 10 points from their last five league matches. Prior to their defeat against Freiburg, they had gone nine games unbeaten in all competitions and now sit ninth in the table.

However, confidence may have taken a significant hit following their dramatic Conference League exit on Thursday. Holding a 2-0 advantage after the first leg against Strasbourg, Mainz collapsed in the return fixture, suffering a 4-0 defeat to crash out of a competition they had genuine ambitions of winning.

Fischer admitted his side are feeling the effects but expects a response:

“The mood is naturally subdued. We didn’t do a lot of things well yesterday. We want to show the reaction in Gladbach,” he said, before adding: “We’re not safe in the league yet. There are five games left, and we have to approach them differently.”

The reverse fixture in December saw Gladbach edge a 1-0 win thanks to a Danny da Costa own goal - ending a long winless run against Mainz, who had been unbeaten in nine meetings prior to that result.

Historically, Mainz have also proven capable travellers to Borussia-Park, winning this fixture 3-1 last season and losing none of their last five away league matches there. Gladbach, for their part, have been relatively solid at home recently, with only one defeat in their last five.

Team news

Borussia Mönchengladbach: Tim Kleindienst is expected to be the only absentee for Polanski’s side.

1. FSV Mainz 05: Silas, Benedict Hollerbach, Jae-Sung Lee, Robin Zentner and Maxim Leitsch all remain sidelined. 

Predicted lineups

Borussia Mönchengladbach (3-4-2-1): Nicolas (GK) - Sander, Elvedi, Diks - Scally, Reitz, Engelhardt, Castrop - Mohya, Honorat - Tabaković

1. FSV Mainz 05 (3-5-2): Batz (GK) - da Costa, Posch, Kohr - Widmer, Amiri, Sano, Nebel, Mwene - Tietz, Becker