Preview: Mainz away next up | OneFootball

Matchday 27 will see Eintracht face Mainz in what will be the 36th Rhein-Main showdown in the top flight.

How things stand

After the 1-0 home win over Heidenheim, the Eagles’ next task is a trip to the MEWA Arena to take on 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Sunday 22 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET). Since Albert Riera took on the coaching reins in early February, Eintracht have lost just one of six matches, and that was away to league-leaders Bayern Munich. The team has picked up 11 points across that period, behind only Bayern (16) and second-in-the-table Dortmund (13). 

Mainz have been equally impressive since Urs Fischer took over from Bo Henriksen in mid-December, with just two defeats in 13 Bundesliga matches under the new Swiss head coach, along with five wins and six draws.  

Stronger at the back

Eintracht have not conceded a goal in their past three matches, or indeed for over 300 minutes of play. Four Bundesliga clean sheets in a row would be a club record. In the six-match spell mentioned above, they have let in just four goals, which is best in the league, and that has resulted in four clean sheets and three home wins in a row without conceding. “This represents real progress, and something that we want to build on as opposed to resting on our laurels,” said Nathaniel Brown. “If you can keep a clean sheet, that means you don’t have to create all that many chances either, but we obviously do want to carve out more opportunities. We’ve still got work to do up on the attacking side of things.”The Eagles will get to have an uninterrupted week of training to work on things before they face Mainz, a team they beat 1-0 earlier in the season thanks to a Ritsu Doan goal.  

Sharp-shooters on both sides

With nine goals to his name, making him the Eagles’ top-scorer, Jonathan Burkardt will be heading back to his former home ground for the first time since his transfer. Leading the goal-scoring column for Mainz is Nadiem Amiri, although the 29-year-old has not had the opportunity to add to his ten goals over the past three weeks due to injury.

It was Arnaud Kalimuendo who got the winner for the Eagles against Heidenheim, making it four goals (and an assist) since his debut on 9 January 2026. Eintracht will not mind who finds the back of the net on Sunday in Mainz, provided that somebody does and that there is a clean sheet at the other end.