Will Mainz score again against their favourite opponent?
After a strong start to the season, 1. FSV Mainz 05 last stood in sixth place in the table after Matchday 16. Then, however, the Rheinhessen team lost its way. Partly because no other Bundesliga team has suffered more defeats since matchday 17 than the team from zero-five, the Mainz side slipped down to tenth place.
Now, however, a rebuilding opponent of sorts is visiting the Mewa Arena. TSG have won just two of their last nine away games in the Bundesliga and have lost all of their last three competitive games in a row. Despite this, there are even odds available at the bookmakers ahead of the encounter between Mainz and Hoffenheim.
The most recent record is in favour of Mainz, who already won the first leg 2-0 in Sinsheim on 11 September 2021. Overall, FSV have lost only one of their last seven competitive matches against TSG (four wins, two draws). Nevertheless, this record alone is not enough, in view of the lost momentum of the Rheinhessen, to play a bet on the outcome of Mainz against Hoffenheim.
Mainz – Statistics & current form
In the calendar year 2021, 1. FSV Mainz 05 advanced to an absolute team of the hour in the Bundesliga. Not only did the Rheinhessen side manage to stay in the league against all odds thanks to a spectacular comeback and Bo Svensson, but they were also involved in the fight for Europe for long stretches of the first half of the new season.
By the way, they have not yet missed the boat to international competition. However, in view of the recent negative series – three of the last four league games were lost – they are currently four points off sixth place.
Mainz are particularly goal-happy against Hoffenheim
The Nullfünfer are tenth in the table but have nothing to do with the relegation battle and can therefore play freely against one of their favourite opponents. Against Hoffenheim, FSV have their highest goal average in the Bundesliga, scoring 1.88 goals per game.
Since the return of the Rheinhessen side to the top flight of German football in the summer of 2009 alone, the Red and Whites have scored a total of 47 goals against the Kraichgau outfit – more than against any other opponent in the Bundesliga. The betting on a high-scoring match between Mainz and Hoffenheim is correspondingly consistent.
The fourth best home team in the Bundesliga
But Bo Svensson’s side must show a clear reaction, especially after the recent 1-0 defeat to bottom side Greuther Fürth. At least the home record of the Rheinhessen side still reads positively. With only one home defeat in league play, the Nullfünfer are in fourth place in the home table.
In addition, there is the current series: The only Bundesliga team from Rhineland-Palatinate is unbeaten in six home games at the Mewa Arena (four wins, two draws) and has won all of the last three games. For the first time since 2014 under Thomas Tuchel, they could now win four home games in a row.
Predicted line-up of Mainz:
Zentner – Niakhaté – Bell – St. Juste – Aaron – Stach – Widmer – Barreiro – Lee – Onisiwo – Burkardt
Last matches played by Mainz:
Friendly club matches
01/27 2022 – Mainz 05 0 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
1st Bundesliga
01/22 2022 – Greuther Fürth 2 – 1 Mainz 05
DFB Cup
01/18 2022 – Vfl Bochum 3 – 1 Mainz 05
1st Bundesliga
01/15 2022 – Mainz 05 1 – 0 Vfl Bochum
01/08 2022 – RB Leipzig 4 – 1 Mainz 05
Hoffenheim – Statistics & current form
The TSG Hoffenheim did not get off to a good start in their 14th year in the Bundesliga. In the second half of the first half, however, match luck returned to the Kraichgau.
Between the twelfth and 18th matchday, the Sinsheimers remained unbeaten for seven matchdays, took 17 of a possible 21 points and were back in the top third of the table. After two defeats in a row, however, the Baden-Württemberger now come to Mainz in seventh place in the table.
In the last nine competitive matches, goals on both sides
Including their exit from the DFB Pokal in the last 16, Sebastian Hoeneß’s side have suffered three consecutive defeats after seven games in a row.
The Sinsheim side’s biggest problem is undoubtedly their lack of defensive stability. The blue and white defence has already conceded 32 goals, with goals being scored on both sides without exception in the last nine competitive matches in a row.
Only two wins in last nine away games
The team from Kraichgau does not only have to improve defensively. The Sinsheimers have not been too successful away from home either. Only two of the last nine away games in the Bundesliga were won (two draws, five defeats).
But it could be a big mistake to write TSG off prematurely, because Hoeneß’ team has bounced back several times in the course of the season, especially after setbacks. This is also reflected in the 14 goals that Hoffenheim have already scored in the final quarter of an hour – the best figure in the league.
Predicted line-up of Hoffenheim:
Baumann – Vogt – Grillitsch – Posch – Raum – Geiger – Samassekou – Stiller – Baumgartner – Kramaric – Rutter
Last matches played by Hoffenheim:
1st Bundesliga
01/22 2022 – Hoffenheim 2 – 3 Borussia Dortmund
DFB Cup
01/19 2022 – Hoffenheim 1 – 4 SC Freiburg
1st Bundesliga
01/15 2022 – Union Berlin 2 – 1 Hoffenheim
01/08 2022 – Hoffenheim 3 – 1 Augsburg
12/18 2021 – Hoffenheim 1 – 1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Mainz – Hoffenheim Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 11 – 8 – 8
There have been a total of 27 meetings between the two teams so far and Mainz lead the direct comparison with eleven victories. The first leg also went to the Rheinhessen side (2-0), who have lost just one of their last seven meetings with TSG Hoffenheim (four wins, two draws).
Mainz – Hoffenheim tip
With Mainz against Hoffenheim, the prediction has to take into account that both teams have lacked a bit of consistency so far this season. Both are still involved in the fight for Europe, but repeatedly fell behind again due to surprising losses of points. Accordingly, it is complicated to accurately predict the outcome of this duel, as factors such as the form of the day are also likely to play a role.
Because matches involving Hoffenheim have recently been extremely high-scoring, while the Nullfünfer prefer to score against TSG anyway, there is a lot to be said for a high-scoring Bundesliga match in this encounter.
We recommend betting on over 2.5 goals, for which betting odds of 1.70 are available for Mainz against Hoffenheim.
