Best Odds: 5/2
Bookmaker:
Simply looking to make up some ground in the Bundesliga title chase, Bayern Munich will welcome Mainz to the Allianz on Saturday afternoon.
Bayern Munich
Starting with the hosts, booking their Champions League quarter-final ticket earlier in the week as they mounted a stellar second-leg comeback, Bayern Munich will be desperate to use that performance as a platform to build on. Eventually securing a 3-0 romp at home against Italian outfit Lazio, Thomas Tuchel’s men are seeking some domestic stability. Opening this weekend’s fixtures sat 10 points adrift of Bayer Leverkusen in this season’s Bundesliga title chase, it has already been confirmed that the former Chelsea boss will be leading the Allianz at the end of the season. Last seen in domestic action having to settle for a 2-2 stalemate away at Freiburg, Bayern have recorded just a single victory from any of their previous four Bundesliga appearances. With all of their eggs now in the Champions League basket, the German giants still have plenty of pressure on their shoulders.
Team News
All still dealing with respective injury issues, Bayern Munich will be unable to call upon the likes of Kingsley Coman, Noussair Mazraoui and January recruit Sacha Boey. Ex-Arsenal starlet Serge Gnabry could make a first domestic appearance since the start of December on Saturday afternoon.
French international defender Dayot Upamecano is free to make a return here after serving a one-match suspension last weekend. Bagging a Champions League brace against Lazio earlier in the week and continuing to break a string of records since arriving in Munich, England skipper Harry Kane will spearhead Tuchel’s charge.
Mainz
As for the visitors, while Mainz might have sprung an upset last season as they secured a top-half finish among Germany’s elite, Bo Henriksen’s men have endured a major Bundesliga struggle this time around. Suffering a second-half collapse at home against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend as they eventually had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate, the Carnival Club find themselves tipped as a landslide relegation contender in 2024. Opening Saturday’s trip to the Allianz sat nine points adrift of finding a route to Bundesliga safety, Mainz have collected just a single victory from any of their previous 14 straight Bundesliga appearances a run that stems all the way back to November 4th. Likewise, hit with a 3-1 defeat when they welcomed Bayern Munich to the MEWA Stadium for their reverse meeting on October 21st, Henriksen’s side will be bracing themselves for another heavyweight challenge here.
Team News
Shown a second-half red card against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend, former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Dominik Kohr will serve a one-match suspension here. However, after serving his own respective ban at the MEWA Stadium, French defender Anthony Caci could make a full return on Saturday afternoon.
Still dealing with a stacked injury list, Mainz will travel to the Allianz without the likes of Edimilson Fernandes, Maxim Leitsch, Nelso Weiper and ex-Gent defender Andreas Hanche-Olsen. Despite notching just a pair of Bundesliga strikes so far this season, academy graduate Jonathan Burkardt will spearhead Henriksen’s charge.
Key Factors to Consider
