Bundesliga football returns this weekend after the international break.
Marco Rose’s RB Leipzig are eyeing a fourth successive league win, having ran out 5-1 winners away at Köln last time around.
‘Die Roten Bullen’ currently sit in fifth place - a point behind Borussia Dortmund and will be looking to end the season strongly after their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
Mainz, on the other hand, occupy the relegation play-off spot.
Sitting just a point above Köln in 17th, Bo Henriksen’s men are six points adrift of safety.
Last time out, they earned a huge 2-0 win over 15th-placed Bochum, in response to an 8-1 drubbing from Bayern Munich.
Every point matters now for the 05ers, who beat this weekend’s opponents 2-0 in the reverse fixture last November.
Team News
RB Leipzig
Amadou Haidara is suspended after accumulating too many yellow cards.
Meanwhile, Lukas Klostermann was a doubt after sustaining a thigh injury against Borussia Mönchengladbach last month.
He returned to team training this week.
Captain Willi Orban missed both of Hungary’s international fixtures this month due to “minor adductor problems”. His fitness status remains unknown.
Mainz
The man with the most yellow cards in the Bundesliga this season (10), Dominik Kohr, is suspended for Mainz.
Centre-back Maxim Leitsch is also expected to miss out due to a groin injury he picked up in February.
He joins long-term servant of the club Stefan Bell on the sidelines.
Likely Lineups
RB Leipzig
Gulacsi; Henrichs, Simakan, Lukeba, Raum; Olmo, Seiwald, Schlager, Simons; Poulsen, Openda.
Mainz
Zentner; Caci, Guilavogui, van den Berg, Hanche-Olsen, Mwene; Gruda, Barreiro, Amiri, Lee; Burkardt.
Key Players
RB Leipzig - Xavi Simons
Eyebrows were raised when PSG opted to loan Xavi Simons out to RB Leipzig for the 2023/24 season, after the Dutchman’s phenomenal season at PSV.
Simons had returned to the French capital after just a year away, with the Ligue 1 champions triggering the €6m buyback clause in his contract.
Immediately, the tricky playmaker was sent straight to Leipzig and it’s fair to say he’s made a big impact.
The former Barcelona academy prodigy has played all but one Bundesliga match for ‘die Roten Bullen’ this season.
Across all competitions, he has racked up nine goals and 13 assists, claiming one of each last time out at Köln.
No Leipzig player has created more chances (or big chances) than Simons during this campaign.
Mainz - Nadiem Amiri
It’s been a torrid season for Mainz. While their youth team have been beating the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City, the first team is enduring arguably its worst season since they returned to the top flight in 2009.
The 05ers have spent just one week outside of the bottom three.
In fact, that win over Bochum lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time in seven gameweeks.
But one bright spark for the club in recent weeks has been January signing Nadiem Amiri.
Arriving on deadline day from champions-elect Bayer Leverkusen, the Germany international has quickly made a case for himself to be considered Mainz’s player of the season.
The midfielder has played just eight times for his new club but picked up assists against Union Berlin and Augsburg and a goal against Bayern, while putting in multiple man of the match displays.
This man may be the difference between Mainz remaining a Bundesliga club come next season and not.
Match Details
Where is the game being played?
The match is being played at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.
What time is kick-off?
The game will kick off at 14:30 (GMT).
How can I watch?
Unfortunately, the game will not be televised in the United Kingdom. At full-time, highlights will be available on the Bundesliga website and on the app.