Will Rose grab a new starting record against his former club?

For many years, Borussia Dortmund and FSV Mainz 05 have enjoyed a close relationship. However, this is primarily based on the personalities of Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, who once earned their first coaching spurs with the zero-fives and subsequently celebrated titles with BVB. Both coaches are now working on the island, but will certainly watch the upcoming duel between their former clubs in the summary.

Before kick-off of the match between Dortmund and Mainz, the odds are clearly in favour of the Black and Yellows, who have had their fair share of trouble with the Rheinhessen side in the recent past. In the past two home games against their upcoming opponents, for example, they have only managed a single point. Since the start of the 2017/18 season, only FC Bayern have collected more points at Signal Iduna Park than FSV.

The fact that the prediction of many experts nevertheless goes in the direction of the Westphalians on Saturday afternoon between Dortmund and Mainz is primarily due to their impressive home statistics, their higher individual quality and the fact that Erling Haaland is on the verge of returning to the BVB squad. The Norwegian had to miss out recently due to injury, which had an extreme effect on the offensive output of the Champions League participants. Will the star striker also bring back the spectacle?

Dortmund – statistics & current form

The special connection between Borussia Dortmund and Mainz 05 mentioned in the introduction has also produced coach Marco Rose. The Leipzig native once laced up his football boots for FSV and made 150 appearances. On Saturday, the former defender will meet his former club for the first time in his new role as BVB coach. At the same time, the 45-year-old can set a new record:

In fact, Rose could become the first Dortmund coach to win all of his first five Bundesliga home games. Borussia is the only team to have gone unblemished on home soil so far.

In four games, there have been four victories and a goal difference of 14:7. In other words: In the four home games at Signal Iduna Park, the spectators saw an average of more than five (!) goals. By the way, the bet on a home win, including goals from both sides, would always have gone through. It is therefore not far-fetched that also on Saturday between Dortmund and Mainz the bet on the combination “BVB win” & “Both score” is our first choice

Dortmund is a real home power again

Whoever needs additional arguments for a full sense of success for the Black-Yellows should take a look at the season-long home record. The current third-placed team can now boast eight home victories in a row. In all of these matches, the host team has scored at least two goals of its own. With a still fragile defence that has conceded a whopping 13 goals, fans can look forward to an attractive and spectacular game of football with plenty of goals.

As already mentioned, there are many indications that Erling Haaland will make his comeback. It is quite possible that the odds between Dortmund and Mainz will drop in the coming hours if it is finally certain that the goal scorer will return to the team. However, the giant will not have to carry the offensive responsibility on his shoulders alone, as Marco Reus is also particularly fond of playing against FSV. The international has already been involved in 20 goals against the Nullfünfer!

Predicted line-up of Dortmund:
Kobel – Meunier, Can, Hummels, N. Schulz – Witsel – Brandt, Bellingham – Reus – Malen, Haaland

Last matches played by Dortmund:

Mainz – Statistics & current form

Three wins, one draw and three defeats. This is FSV Mainz 05’s record so far this season. The resulting ten points are enough for ninth place and are therefore a satisfactory result from the point of view of coach Bo Svensson’s team, which last season still had to deal primarily with the relegation battle in the Bundesliga.

Nevertheless, the form curve was pointing in the wrong direction before the international break. Only one point came out of the last three Bundesliga games. Instead, they suffered defeats at Leverkusen (0:1) and at home against Union Berlin (1:2).

Will Mainz pull off a respectable upset in Dortmund?

Only one goal scored in the past 270 minutes of play impressively underlines what is currently lacking in the Nullfünfer’s game. No team in the top half of the table has scored fewer goals than the red and whites. Away from home, they have only scored two goals in three games.

At Signal Iduna Park, we still expect the supposed underdogs to play well and score at least one goal, especially since the team from Rheinhessen has usually sold very well in Dortmund in the past and has never gone winless for more than three consecutive Bundesliga games under coach Bo Svensson.

However, the already difficult task at the championship candidates will be made more difficult by the fact that two important defenders, Alexander Hack and Jeremiah St. Juste, will not be available. Especially the Dutchman’s speed will be missing for FSV against BVB’s high-speed offensive. Adam Szalai and the suspended Dominik Kohr may also not play at the weekend. All the more surprising, then, that attractive odds are being offered for a handicap win for the favourites in the Dortmund vs Mainz clash.

Predicted line-up of Mainz:
Zentner – Nemeth, Bell, Niakhaté – Widmer, Barreiro, Stach, Lucoqui – Burkardt, Ingvartsen – Onisiwo

Last matches played by Mainz:

Dortmund – Mainz Direct comparison / H2H balance

This is the 31st time the two teams have faced each other in the Bundesliga. With 17 wins compared to eight draws and only five defeats, Dortmund leads the direct comparison very clearly. Although the Nullfünfer have picked up four points from their two most recent matches at the Westfalenstadion, the head-to-head record also points clearly in the direction of the black and yellow. Interestingly, both teams have scored in four of the last six BVB victories. Will this trend continue on Saturday?

Dortmund – Mainz tip

For Borussia Dortmund, it’s all about the top of the table on Saturday afternoon. Should the Rose eleven win their home match against FSV Mainz 05, they would climb to first place in the standings, at least for one night. The chances are pretty good, because Borussia have won eight times in a row at home. In the current season alone, there have been four wins in four home games and 14 goals scored.

Even though the “Nullfünfer” have recently won twice at the Signal Iduna Park, we do not believe in a surprise coup this weekend. On the one hand, because Svensson’s team is weaker away from home than at home. On the other hand, because the form curve before the international match did not necessarily show an upward trend. However, we are confident that the ninth-placed team will score a goal.

In the Dortmund vs. Mainz clash, we therefore decide to bet on BVB winning but both teams scoring at least once.

Meanwhile, if you prefer a different betting market, you can go for the handicap win of the favourite, which is surprisingly well quoted. Haaland returns in all likelihood and Marco Reus has also delivered mightily against the Rheinhessen side in the past. A spectacle in the form of a home win with a two-goal lead or more is therefore within the realms of possibility.