Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz 05: Bundesliga Preview and Team News
By Tushar Bahl
Players to Watch
After a slow start to the season, Donyell Malen seems to be finally hitting his stride. The Borussia Dortmund forward opened his account in the UEFA Champions League win over Sporting CP last month. He was also on target for the Netherlands during the international break. And he will have a key role to play for BVB this weekend, with Erling Haaland still a doubt for the game.
Julian Brandt scored the winner for Borussia Dortmund against Augsburg two weeks ago. The most important thing for him now will be to find the consistency that has eluded him over the last couple of seasons. And a good performance against Mainz will go a long way in helping him cement his place in the starting XI.
Mainz have struggled to score goals this season so the key for them will be to deliver a strong defensive performance. Important defender Moussa Niakhaté should return to the starting XI after fully recovering from his injury. And his performance will be crucial to Mainz’s hopes of getting a result.
Previous Meeting: Mainz 05 1-3 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund earned a 3-1 win over Mainz 05 and sealed their place in the Bundesliga top four the last time these two sides met. Raphael Guerreiro, Marco Reus and Julian Brandt were all on target for the Black and Yellows, before Robin Quaison pulled a goal back for Mainz with his late spot-kick.
How the players who left Borussia Dortmund this summer are faring at their new clubs. dark. Next
Mainz did manage to get a 1-1 draw when these two sides last met at the Signal Iduna Park back in January. And Marco Rose will certainly be wary of his former club’s ability to cause an upset.