Mainz vs St. Pauli Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Goal difference is all that is currently keeping Mainz inside the top six, so the stakes are high ahead of St. Pauli’s trip to MEWA Arena.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday February 22nd 2025: – 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 – Sky Go / US – ESPN+
Mainz Preview: Home comforts crucial
Mainz have picked up ten points from their last four Bundesliga games at MEWA Arena, which has played a huge part in sustaining their European challenge. However, their most recent victory came on the road, away to Heidenheim which has kept them in the top six leading into this latest round of fixtures.
Returning back home, Mainz face another opponent who are currently down the lower end of the Bundesliga in St. Pauli, whom they will likely expect to gain three points from. Opportunity knocks for Mainz.
St. Pauli Preview: Gap at seven points
Consecutive defeats have stunted St. Pauli across the last couple of weeks and the current gap between the newly promoted side and the current bottom three is seven points. Both recent losses saw Alexander Blessin’s side shut out on both occasions and that lack of attacking potency will need to be addressed here.
Injuries continue to affect the visitors though and getting some of their absent players back could go a long way towards them getting back to winning ways sooner rather than later.
Mainz Team News: Bell only absentee
Aside from one player, head coach Bo Henriksen should have a fully fit squad to choose from ahead of St. Pauli’s visit. The one player expected to be missing for the hosts is defender Stefan Bell, who has a hamstring injury.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Zentner; Da Costa, Jenz, Kohr; Widmer, Sano, Amiri, Mwene; Nebel; Weiper, Burkardt
Unavailable: Bell (Injured)
Questionable:
St. Pauli Team News: Metcalfe getting closer
Midfielder Connor Metcalfe is edging nearer a return to action following a calf injury and the Australian international could play some part in this one. Goalkeeper Soren Ahlers also has a chance of making a return, but at least seven other players are ruled out through injury.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Nemeth; Treu, Irvine, Boukhalfa, Van der Heyden; Saad, Eggestein, Afolayan
Unavailable: Burchert (Injured), Guilavogui (Injured), Mets (Injured), Saliakas (Injured), Sands (Injured), Wagner (Injured), Zoller (Injured)
Questionable: Ahlers (Injured), Metcalfe (Injured)
Mainz vs St. Pauli Prediction
Not having scored for two matches running is bound to have an effect on St. Pauli, certainly from a confidence point of view. They may look to counter this with a more attacking style of play, but that is likely to play right into Mainz’s hands. Notoriously strong recently at home, Mainz have been scoring with regularity and are expected to dominate St. Pauli through most of play.
With that in mind, the smart play would be backing Mainz to pick up the three points with home advantage being in their favour, thus extending St. Pauli’s recent losing run.
Mainz vs St. Pauli Tip: Mainz to win
