Preview: Wolfsburg vs. Mainz 05 - prediction, team news, lineups

Wolfsburg take on Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with little at stake given that both teams have achieved their main objectives for the season.

Wolfsburg wrapped up their Champions League qualification spot last weekend, while Mainz have ensured that they will compete in the Bundesliga for a 13th consecutive season when August comes around.

Match preview

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Despite blowing a two-goal lead away to Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal runners-up RB Leipzig to draw 2-2 last time out, Eintracht Frankfurt's shock 4-3 defeat to already-relegated Schalke 04 ensured that the Wolves will avoid any final day nerves against in-form Mainz.

Indeed, had Frankfurt beaten Schalke as they were widely expected to do, Adi Hutter's side would have headed into their final day home tie against Freiburg only one point behind Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League.

However, deservedly so having been solid for the vast majority of the campaign, Oliver Glasner's side will compete in Europe's top competition for the first time since reaching the quarter-final in the 2015-16 campaign.

This season may well be remembered as the Wout Weghorst season by Die Wolfe fans, with the Netherlands striker bagging 20 league goals during a wonderful individual campaign.

Given that Glasner's side is largely based on defensive solidity, Weghorst's goals have often proved the difference between one point and three, with the 28-year-old and his teammates alike hoping to end a successful season on a high against Mainz on Saturday.

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It will certainly not be easy for them to do so, however, with Mainz's impressive unbeaten run finally ending at nine matches after a 3-1 defeat at home to Dortmund last weekend.

Die Nullfunfer were outclassed by a ruthless BVB outfit, who converted four shots on target into three goals via strikes from Raphael Guerreiro, Marco Reus and Julian Brandt.

As such, Robin Quaison's injury-time penalty was nothing more than a consolation effort, but the defeat takes nothing away from the miracle Bo Svensson has performed in keeping Mainz up with a game to spare.

The 41-year-old took over in January with the club he spent seven years as a player at marooned at the bottom of the table with only six points after 14 matches, but Svensson has guided them to 30 points from his 19 games in charge so far during an astonishing upturn in form.

Svensson will be hoping for one final push from his players on Saturday, but will be mightily proud of their achievements together whatever ensues.

Team News

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Wolfsburg remain without Renato Steffen, Josip Brekalo and Bartosz Bialek due to injury.

Otherwise, Glasner appears to have a clean bill of health to select from, with the 46-year-old unlikely to make any changes from the side which drew at Leipzig last weekend.

Mainz, meanwhile, will travel without Jonathan Burkardt and Robin Zentner due to hip and stomach complaints respectively, so Finn Dahmen will continue in goal.

Quaison and Adam Szalai could be handed starts in attack, with Phillipp Mwene and Dominik Kohr also pushing for recalls to the starting XI.

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:

Casteels; Mbabu, Lacroix, Brooks, Otavio; Schlager, Arnold; Baku, Philipp, Gerhardt; Weghorst

Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:

Dahmen; St Juste, Hack, Niakhate; Da Costa, Kohr, Barreiro, Boetius, Mwene; Quaison, Szalai

We say: Wolfsburg 2-2 Mainz 05

We can envisage an entertaining affair in Wolfsburg on Saturday given that both teams can play without pressure having secured their main aims for the season.

A share of the spoils seems likely, then, given that both sides head into this encounter in decent, albeit dipping, form of late.