Bayern Munich will look to swiftly move on from their midweek Champions League exit when they resume their Bundesliga title charge at the Mewa Arena against Mainz 05 on Saturday.
While the visitors are seeking to avoid a fourth successive game in all competitions without a win, the hosts have not lost a top-flight fixture since the beginning of February.
Match preview
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Mainz extended their unbeaten Bundesliga run to nine matches, the longest ongoing undefeated run in the division, when they played out a 1-1 draw away against Koln last weekend.
January signing Ludovic Ajorque scored for the third successive game to open the scoring for Mainz in the first half, but an equaliser from Dejan Ljubicic six minutes after the break forced both sides to share the spoils.
Only Borussia Dortmund (26) and Saturday's opponents Bayern (23) have accumulated more points than Mainz (22) during the second half of the campaign, and Bo Svensson's men have put themselves in the mix for European qualification as they now sit eighth in the Bundesliga table, level on points with seventh-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and just two points behind Bayer Leverkusen in sixth.
Since losing 4-0 at home to Bayern in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal in February, Mainz have not lost any of their last five matches at the Mewa Arena.
The 05ers have also won their last two home league games against the Bavarian giants under the tutelage of Svensson, including a 3-1 home triumph in April last year, so the hosts can be optimistic of pulling off another upset on Saturday.
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Bayern Munich entered the month of April with aspirations of winning the treble, but they are now only challenging for one trophy following quarter-final eliminations in both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League.
A disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Freiburg in the DFB-Pokal at the beginning of this month was followed by a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League, including a 1-1 second-leg draw at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Erling Braut Haaland opened the scoring to put the Citizens four goals ahead on aggregate, before Joshua Kimmich converted a consolation goal from the penalty spot seven minutes from time on a frustrating night for the hosts and head coach Thomas Tuchel, who was sent off for venting his anger at the officials.
Bayern now turn their attention back to the Bundesliga where they remain in the driving seat to lift an 11th successive title as they currently sit two points clear at the summit with only six games remaining.
The Bavarian outfit, who drew their last Bundesliga game 1-1 at home to Hoffenheim last weekend, have only won two of their last six matches since the appointment of Tuchel, who will return to familiar territory this weekend having previously taken charge of 170 games across a five-year period as Mainz head coach between 2009 and 2014.
Bayern will be confident of turning their fortunes around on Saturday as they have already beaten Mainz twice this season by an aggregate score of 10-2, with an emphatic 6-2 Bundesliga home victory in October followed by the aforementioned 4-0 German Cup success in February.
Team News
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Mainz's only injury concern is with forward Jonathan Burkardt, who has been sidelined since November with a long-term knee injury.
Svensson is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, with Anton Stach set to continue in an advanced midfield role alongside Karim Onisiwo, who has scored six of his nine Bundesliga goals on home soil this season.
As for Bayern Munich, Manuel Neuer (leg) and Lucas Hernandez (knee) remain out with long-term injuries, while Benjamin Pavard will serve a one-match suspension after picking up five yellow cards.
Joao Cancelo could switch to right-back in the absence of Pavard, with Alphonso Davies set to be recalled at left-back, although Daley Blind, Noussair Mazraoui and Josip Stanisic will also push to start in the full-back positions.
Sadio Mane returned to the first-team fold on Wednesday and came on as a second-half substitute against Man City after serving a club suspension for punching teammate Leroy Sane, and the Senegalese winger will challenge Sane and Kingsley Coman for a start on either flank, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – who recovered from a knee issue to start in midweek – is set to get the nod up front.
Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Zentner; Fernandes, Bell, Hanche-Olsen; Widmer, Barreiro, Kohr, Caci; Stach, Onisiwo; Ajorque
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Cancelo, Upamecano, De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Goretska; Coman, Musiala, Sane; Choupo-Moting
We say: Mainz 05 1-2 Bayern Munich
Mainz have been thrashed in both of the previous two meetings with Bayern this season, but a tighter affair could be on the cards on Saturday considering the resurgent form of the hosts and recent setbacks suffered by the visitors.
Nevertheless, Bayern will be regarded as favourites to come out on top and they should have enough quality in the final third to outscore their opponents at the Mewa Arena.
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Top tip
Oliver Thomas
