Mainz 05 vs. Borussia Dortmund preview: Can Dortmund continue their hot start? | OneFootball

Mainz 05

After a shaky start to the Bundesliga season, Mainz finally found their rhythm last weekend with a resounding 4-1 away win at Augsburg - their first league victory of the campaign. The result lifted them to four points after four matches, good enough for 13th place in the table, and more importantly restored some much-needed confidence.

The standout performer was Kaishu Sano. The Japanese midfielder not only scored his first Bundesliga goal but also added two assists in a dominant display. Head coach Bo Henriksen also handed Armindo Sieb a surprise start up front, leaving Nelson Weiper on the bench. Sieb repaid that trust with a hungry performance and a goal, earning himself another start this weekend - confirmed by Henriksen in the lead up to the game.

But the victory came at a cost. On Monday, Mainz confirmed that Anthony Caci had suffered a muscle tendon injury in his thigh, ruling him out until at least early 2026. To compound matters, Dominik Kohr was sent off against Augsburg and will serve a suspension. With defensive reshuffling required, it was revealed many of the squad’s workloads had been carefully managed in training this week to avoid further setbacks.

Despite the absentees, Henriksen struck a defiant tone ahead of Dortmund’s visit: “We respect Dortmund, but we are not afraid of them and we know we will make it difficult for them, especially being at home where we can bring all the energy out onto the pitch.”

Team news:

As previously mentioned, Caci and Kohr are unavailable, while Silvan Widmer faces a late fitness test. If he misses out, Nikolas Veratsching could be in line for his first start of the season, or Henriksen may shift Arnaud Nordin into a wing-back role should he opt for experience.

On a more positive note, Jae-Sung Lee has returned to training and is available, while Benedict Hollerbach could make a return to the squad after returning to full training yesterday.

Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund have started the season in strong fashion, collecting 10 points from a possible 12 to sit second in the table, just two points behind leaders Bayern. It’s their best opening to a Bundesliga campaign in eight years, and head coach Niko Kovac will be keen to maintain the momentum.

Last time out, Dortmund earned an unspectacular but professional 1-0 win at home to VfL Wolfsburg - a result that will have pleased Niko Kovac most of all. Karim Adeyemi delivered the decisive moment with a superb first-half strike, and from there Dortmund relied on their rejuvenated defence to see out the three points at Signal Iduna Park.

A key factor in their strong start has been that defence. While last season’s back line often struggled under Nuri Şahin, Kovac has breathed new life into the group, with his switch to a back three already looking like a masterstroke. Dortmund have conceded just three goals so far, giving them the joint-best defensive record in the league, and they remain the only side to record three consecutive clean sheets this season. Under Kovac, the theme is clear: less chaos, more points.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash, Kovac praised Mainz’s intensity but backed his side to deliver: "Mainz will be an uncomfortable opponent. It will be an intense game. They put in a lot of running effort and attack early…So there is a danger that there will be chances against us. They are a serious opponent but I expect us to continue our run with our confidence high.”

Team news

Julien Duranville, Emre Can, and Aaron Anselmino remain out. Niklas Süle and Fabio Silva are nearing returns but are not yet in full training, leaving late calls on their availability. Serhou Guirassy took a knock on the weekend but trained fully during the week and has been given the green light for Saturday.

Head-to-Head record

Dortmund claimed a 3-1 win in the last meeting back in March. However, Mainz were unbeaten in the four fixtures before that (two wins, two draws), proving to be tricky opponents in recent years.

On a personal level, Kovac has enjoyed facing Die Nullfünfer throughout his coaching career, winning 10 of his 13 encounters and losing just once. He’ll be eager to extend that impressive record this weekend.

Predicted lineups

Mainz 05: (3-4-2-1): Zentner (GK) - da Costa, Hanche-Olsen, Bell - Widmer, Amiri, Sano, Mwene - Nebel, Nordin - Sieb

Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1): Kobel (GK) - Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini - Ryerson, Sabitzer, Nmecha, Svensson - Adeyemi, Beier - Guirassy