Preview: Augsburg vs Mainz 05 - prediction, team news, lineups

Mainz 05 will hope to correct their poor start to their Bundesliga season when they travel to WWK Arena to face Augsburg on Saturday.

The hosts enter the weekend's clash in 11th place with three points following their 2-1 defeat against St Pauli on September 14, whereas their opponents are fourth last in 15th place with one point, and they lost 1-0 against RB Leipzig on September 13.

Match preview

Augsburg's only big chance against St Pauli was their 16th-minute goal, but they failed to produce a shot inside the box worth more than 0.04 xG in the rest of the game.

The home side have been productive in the final third, finding the back of the net six times in their opening three league games, but they have also conceded on the same number of occasions.

It should be noted that Fuggerstadter have generated just 2.6 xG this season - the third-worst return in the top flight - and only Hamburger SV have created fewer big chances (two).

Head coach Sandro Wagner did guide his side to two victories in his team's first two matches of the campaign, but the club's subsequent two defeats mean they have lost six of their past eight competitive fixtures.

Augsburg failed to win any of their final four games at home in 2024-25, losing three times, and they were also beaten 3-2 by Bayern Munich in their first match on the road this season on August 30.

Mainz did not produce a single shot on target after the 43rd minute against RB Leipzig, and while they have produced the fourth most attempts of any team in the top flight (48), only 12.5% of their efforts have been on target (six).

The visitors began 2024-25 with one win and a draw, and it took them until matchweek four to lose, but they were beaten 1-0 by newly-promoted FC Koln in their first league game of 2025-26 on August 24.

Perhaps some of the clubs' inconsistencies can be explained by the fact they played against Rosenborg in a Conference League qualifier either side of their loss against Koln, the team's first European adventure since 2016,

Karnevalsverein are undefeated against Augsburg in three games - winning twice - and they won 3-2 in 2024-25's corresponding fixture.

Boss Bo Henriksen will hope for more consistency on the road given his players have only won one of their three matches away from home this term, and they have lost four, drawn one and achieved victory in just two of their seven most recent away outings.

Augsburg Bundesliga form:

Augsburg form (all competitions):

Mainz 05 Bundesliga form:

Mainz 05 form (all competitions):

Team News

Augsburg left wing-back Dimitrios Giannoulis is set to miss out as a result of a thigh issue, but Robin Fellhauer is available to step in and provide the necessary width to support both the attack and defence.

Though midfielder Anton Kade is also injured, he is not a first-team regular, so expect Kristijan Jakic and Han-Noah Massengo to feature given both have been declared fit.

As for the visitors, they have often utilised a three-man defensive unit under the direction of Henriksen, and perhaps Danny da Costa, Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Dominik Kohr will be chosen in the XI.

Attacker Jae-Sung Lee started 31 of Mainz's 34 league matches in 2024-25, but a thigh problem is expected to keep him sidelined until early next month, and his absence may lead to the selections for Arnaud Nordin and Paul Nebel behind striker Nelson Weiper.

In the middle of the pitch, Kaishu Sano and Nadiem Amiri are the most likely candidates to be stationed in a double pivot.

Augsburg possible starting lineup:

Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Schlotterbeck; Wolf, Jakic, Massengo, Fellhauer; Rieder, Claude-Maurice; Komur

Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:

Zentner; Da Costa, Hanche-Olsen, Kohr; Caci, Sano, Amiri, Mwene; Nordin, Nebel; Weiper

We say: Augsburg 2-1 Mainz 05

Mainz may have the opportunity to produce a number of shots against their defensively vulnerable hosts, but they will have to improve their finishing to have a chance of victory.

Augsburg will almost certainly find the back of the net given their strong performances in front of goal, and considering the visitors' form on the road has been poor, the home side should be seen as favourites.

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