Mainz vs Union Berlin Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 German Bundesliga
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Bo Svensson kicks off his reign as Union Berlin head coach away at former club Mainz, who are now led by Bo Henriksen after parting ways with Svensson last November.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday August 24th 2024: UK – 2:30pm / US ET – 9:30am / US PT – 6:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – Some matches will be televised on ESPN channels so it is worth checking their schedules
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – ESPN+
MAINZ PREVIEW: MAINTAIN STABILITY AND STAY OUT OF TROUBLE
Mainz started the 2023-24 campaign with Bo Svensson inside the home dugout, but will begin the 2024-25 season with Svensson inside the away dugout whilst a different Danish coach takes charge of the hosts. Bo Henriksen joined the club back in February following the firing of Jan Siewert, who had originally replaced Svensson as head coach.
This won’t stop people from tipping Mainz to struggle this year as so many do every season. However, Mainz have always fought so hard to deserved keep their place in the Bundesliga and they won’t go down without a monumental fight.
UNION BERLIN PREVIEW: EUROPE A REALISTIC GOAL FOR WERDER.
What has originally promised to be the most exciting campaign in the history of Union Berlin quickly spiralled out of control and nearly ended with the ultimately nightmare scenario of relegation, a prospect nobody considered this time last year. But the high-intensity of Champions League football took its toll and their Bundesliga form nosedived.
In the end, a dramatic 2-1 victory over Freiburg on the final day of the season saved Union’s skin, Jannik Haberer scoring the winner deep into second-half stoppage time which left them above 16th-placed Bochum on goal difference. Marco Grote had led the side as interim boss following the sackings of both Nenad Bjelica and Urs Fischer. Since then however, Union have appointed a permanent head coach in Bo Svensson.
MAINZ TEAM NEWS: ONISIWO LIKELY TO START ALONGSIDE BURKARDT AND LEE
Bo Henriksen has a fully fit squad to choose from ahead Mainz’s opening game of the 2024-25 Bundesliga. It would be no surprise to see him opt for Karim Onisiwo as part of a flexible front three that would include Jonathan Burkardt and Lee Jae-sung. There is a notable Austrian flavour to the Mainz team with Phillipp Mwene also expected to start.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Zentner; Kohr, Leitsch, Hanche-Olsen; Widmer, Kaishu, Amiri, Mwene; Onisiwo, Burkardt, Lee
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
UNION BERLIN TEAM NEWS: QUESTION MARK OVER LEITE AVAILABILITY
Portuguese defender Diogo Leite has a knock which renders him a doubt for Union’s trip to Mainz. But while he could yet be passed fit, Kevin Volland will miss out, as will Yannic Stein and right-wing-back Josip Juranovic.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Ronnow; Doekhi, Vogt, Querfeld; Trimmel, Khedira, Schafer, Haberer, Gosens; Hollerbach, Vertessen
UNAVAILABLE: Juranovic (Injured), Stein (Injured), Volland (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Leite (Injured)
MAINZ VS UNION BERLIN PREDICTION
Plenty is at stake here not only on the pitch but also off the pitch when you take into account the history between Mainz and Union Berlin head coach Bo Svensson. Victory for Svensson against his former club would be extremely sweet, but most of the Mainz players are sure to be fired up at the prospect of beating their former boss.
These two clubs had three separate head coaches each across last season and stability is crucial for both in 2024-25. With that in mind, a tight encounter is likely as Mainz and Union each prioritise getting something on the board, so explore backing under 2.5 goals across the 90 minutes.
MAINZ VS UNION BERLIN TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
