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

Fighting to bolster their Champions League hopes in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart will travel to take on Mainz 05 at MEWA Arena on Saturday.

Die Nullfunfer are looking for their first win in four games, while Die Roten are hoping to build on their victory last time out.

Match preview

When Urs Fischer took the reins at Mainz late last year, the club were in peril, and while he helped to right the ship and guide them towards safety with an impressive run, results in recent weeks have stagnated, threatening to pull the team back towards a relegation fight.

Last weekend, Die Nullfunfer earned a point in a 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen. On one hand, that result was commendable given the level of opposition, but it also extended the demotion-threatened team's winless run to three games, their longest since mid-December.

Dropping seven points across their three most recent games has left Fischer's side 14th in the table, where their 23-point total has them sitting just one above 16th-placed Werder Bremen, and only three above 17th-placed Wolfsburg.

Hoping to distance themselves from the relegation zone on Saturday, the hosts will take heart from their excellent record at MEWA Arena, which features three wins and two draws from their last five home games.

Adding to that confidence will be the fact that Mainz have kept three clean sheets from their last six matches on their own turf across all competitions, a sign of a defensive solidity that could give the underdogs an edge.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Hoeness's Stuttgart have been the surprise contenders for Champions League football this season, displacing the likes of Leverkusen in race for Europe.

However, their qualification spot could be at risk this weekend given that they sit fourth, just two points above fifth-placed RB Leipzig and three above the sixth-placed Werkself.

That being said, Hoeness's men will draw inspiration from their impressive 4-0 hammering of Wolfsburg in their most recent outing, a result that means they have now lost just one of their last 11 Bundesliga games, winning seven and drawing three.

Boosting that hopeful feeling is the fact that Die Roten have scored three or more goals in each of their last three top-flight contests, and their attacking strength could prove to be a major asset this weekend against the defence that has conceded the fewest in the division's bottom six.

Visiting supporters will also be optimistic about their side's chances considering that Stuttgart have won three, drawn one and lost just one of their five away league games preceding this clash, a stretch that also featured a notable attacking output of 15 goals.

Mainz 05 Bundesliga form:

Stuttgart Bundesliga form:

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

Team News

Mainz will be without goalkeeper Robin Zentner (groin), as well as centre-backs Maxim Dal (knee) and Andreas Hanche-Olsen (muscle) this weekend, though Stefan Bell is back in contention after recovering from a knee injury of his own.

To fill the gaps, Fischer could start Dominik Kohr, Bell and Stefan Posch in his back three, with Phillipp Mwene and Danny da Costa operating as wing-backs while Anthony Caci is out due to a hamstring issue.

Elsewhere, midfielders Nadiem Amiri and Kasey Bos are sidelined with respective heel and shoulder injuries, with Sota Kawasaki also a doubt after picking up a muscle injury. If the latter is unavailable, then expect to see Lee Jae-sung, Kaishu Sano and Paul Nebel start.

As for Stuttgart, their injury list has been reduced significantly now that centre-backs Dan-Axel Zagadou and Julian Chabot have resumed training, though right-back Josha Vagnomann remains sidelined with a thigh problem.

In his absence, Lorenz Assignon should start at right-back, flanking Chabot and fellow centre-half Finn Jeltsch along with left-back Maximilian Mittelstadt.

Further forward, Jamie Leweling, Deniz Undav and Chris Fuhrich are likely to be supporting striker Ermedin Demirovic, given that attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannous is suspended and 19-year-old winger Lazar Jovanovic is out with a back injury.

Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:

Batz; Posch, Bell, Kohr; Da Costa, Lee, Sano, Nebel, Mwene; Becker, Tietz

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Assignon, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Undav, Fuhrich; Demirovic

We say: Mainz 05 1-1 Stuttgart

Mainz have struggled for wins in recent weeks, though their home form and defensive record suggests that they could put up a major fight this weekend.

Stuttgart are the favourites for this contest, though it remains to be seen whether they can overcome their opponents' resilience to take all three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.