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

Fighting to reach the Conference League semi-finals, Ligue 1 Strasbourg will welcome in-form Bundesliga side Mainz 05 to Stade de la Meinau on Thursday for the second leg of their quarter-final showdown.

Le Racing will go all out to overturn their 2-0 deficit from the first leg, while Die Nullfunfer will be looking for defensive solidity in midweek.

Match preview

Gary O'Neil has made Strasbourg tough to beat since taking the reins from Liam Rosenior back in January, but he will need to find a way to turn the resilience his team have showed in recent months into a commanding victory.

Le Racing went into the first leg on the back of a 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions, including a 3-2 win over Nantes and a 3-1 triumph against Nice in their two outings prior.

However, O'Neil's side recorded just five wins during that stretch, meaning that the Ligue 1 club have only come out on top in six of their 14 matches since their 2-1 loss against Paris Saint-Germain at the start of February.

With a view to Thursday's clash in particular, the hosts have only won two of their last five home games, a disappointing spell that may be discouraging for fans heading to the ground, especially considering their 1-1 draw against Rijeka in the second leg of their round of 16 tie on March 19.

Further damaging to Strasbourg's hopes could be the fact that they have only managed three clean sheets in 2026 so far, and if they fail to keep their opponents at bay, then they will need to score at least three goals to take the tie into extra time.

Meanwhile, Mainz were in a relegation battle prior to the arrival of Urs Fischer in December, but the boss has turned the club into a serious threat on all fronts, and they will be confident of reaching their first-ever European semi-final this week.

Die Nullfunfer went into the first leg with an extensive unbeaten run of their own, though the Bundesliga side had won four on the bounce - including an impressive 2-1 victory over Champions League hopefuls Hoffenheim on April 4 - before downing Strasbourg 2-0 last Thursday.

Two goals in eight first-half minutes from Kaishu Sano and Stefan Posch has given Fischer's men a lead to protect, and after keeping four clean sheets across their last seven outings, Mainz will feel capable of doing so.

However, considering that Posch, Armindo Sieb and Le Racing's Diego Moreira were booked in a heated exchange during second-half stoppage-time, the visitors look set to face an intense atmosphere on the road, where momentum could quickly change the complexion of the tie.

Additionally, it remains to be seen whether Sunday's 1-0 defeat against Freiburg at MEWA Arena will have any bearing on proceedings, given that Die Nullfunfer were unable to respond to Lucas Holer's effort, which brought about the club's first loss since a 4-0 thrashing by Borussia Dortmund in mid-February.

Strasbourg Conference League form:

Strasbourg form (all competitions):

Mainz 05 Conference League form:

Mainz 05 form (all competitions):

Team News

Strasbourg will be without loanee centre-back Aaron Anselmino in midweek as he recovers from a hamstring injury, so expect to see Andrew Omobamidele and Ismael Doukoure start at the heart of defence.

Versatile midfielder Junior Mwanga is also sidelined with a shoulder injury, though Maxi Oyedele, Samir El Mourabet and Valentin Barco should be on hand to start in the centre of the park.

Elsewhere, striker Joaquin Panichelli suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last month that will keep him out of action until sometime during the 2026-27 campaign. With that in mind, Martial Godo could start up top, alongside Julio Enciso.

As for Mainz, they have a lengthy absentee list to contend with for the second leg, and will be especially light in defence without goalkeeper Robin Zentner (groin), as well as centre-backs Stefan Bell (knee), Andreas Hanche-Olsen (muscle), Maxim Dal (knee) and Maxim Leitsch (muscle).

Looking to fill the gaps, Fischer could opt for a back three of Danny da Costa, Stefan Posch and Dominik Kohr on Thursday, with the trio operating in front of shot-stopper Daniel Batz.

In midfield, Lee Jae-sung remains out as he recovers from a broken toe, so Kaishu Sano - who delivered a man-of-the-match performance in the first leg - is likely to be joined by Paul Nebel and Sota Kawasaki once again.

Further forward, strikers Benedict Hollerbach and Silas are set to miss the rest of the season with respective Achilles and ankle injuries, but Nelson Weiper and Phillip Tietz will be ready to start in a partnership up front.

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:

Penders; Doue, Doukoure, Omobamidele, Chilwell; El Mourabet, Oyedele, Barco; Yassine; Enciso, Godo

Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:

Batz; Da Costa, Posch, Kohr; Widmer, Nebel, Sano, Kawasaki, Mwene; Weiper, Tietz

We say: Strasbourg 1-1 Mainz 05

Strasbourg have been resilient under O'Neil, but their inability to find winning goals could hamper their ambitions in midweek.

Mainz will need to soak up pressure away from home, though given their impressive defensive record of late, they should be able to hold on to reach the semi-finals.

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