Given that during the week there was no European commitments, Mainz and Bayern their game are playing on Friday. As for Mainz, the same soon will not be a problem anymore, because Schmidt’s men have lost their chances of qualifying for the knockout phase of the Europa League and only the last round of the group stage remains to be played.
Bayern will play the Champions League and in the spring, but Ancelotti’s men have qualified for the next round only from a second place in the group. Mainz dropped out and in the Cup, unlike Bayern, while in the Bundesliga, the Bavarian team as it was expected have exactly ten points more than Mainz.
Recently, both teams were in a crisis, but Bayern in the last round of Bundesliga managed to get back to the winning ways, while Mainz lost the game. In the last four away games at Coface Arena, Bayern celebrated, while in the last season Mainz took all three points in Munich.
Match info
BUNDESLIGA
December 2, 2016 • 19:30 • Coface Arena, Mainz
Referee: D. Siebert
Mainz vs Bayern Munich Watch live
Mainz is not playing great at the start of the new championship season, but this is not surprising considering that Schmidt’s men are not used to playing European matches. Last week’s draw with St Etienne and mathematical left Mainz without a chance to play in the knockout phase of the Europa League, so Schmidt’s side now can completely turn their attention to the Bundesliga and challenging upcoming meetings with Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Mainz won the last three home encounters in Bundesliga, but in the last week’s game against Hertha Berlin away, the Die Nullfünfer returned without any points even though they had a lead against Hertha Berlin.
The Mainz 05 boss, Schmidt is optimistic before meeting with Bayern:
“We are confident that we can beat Bayern. Last season we were caught on the wrong foot because they were thinking about the Champions League, but now they will certainly think about how they lost the last game of us.”
“We need to work optimally from goalkeeper to strikers, because only in that way we can have a fighting chance.”
“We need to focus on ourselves and our own strength, as to us this is a bonus game.”
Last season Schmidt for the games with Bayern was changing tactical formation which is to be expected from his again, especially at the back, to strengthen the defense by playing with five players in the last line. Because of the red card against Hertha, this match will miss the midfielder Gbamin, while Schmidt for some time can not count on the injured attackers Berggreen and Muto, and the midfielder Clemens.
After 12 rounds, Bayern is a runner-up team in the league with three points adrift of RB Leipzig and in the Champions League with a recent defeat in Rostov, it became clear that Ancelotti’s team will not have a preferential draw for the next round.
Due to these results of the Bavarian football giant a more often the word crisis is used to describe Ancelotti’s team recent form. In the last 12 games Bayern have kept the net clean only once, and in the attack a debut goal for this season of the goalscorer Muller is still on – wait.
Bad impression from the few last weeks Bayern has somewhat improved in the last week’s victory against always unpredictable team, Bayer, but it was a match which showed that Ancelotti’s team is vulnerable.
Ancelotti ahead of this game commented on the current situation of his team for the club’s official website:
“In my last season in Madrid we won 22 games in a row and at the end we were not champions.”
“Who will be at the top on the winter break does not matter, as the most important thing is be at the top on the end.”
“Leipzig is a very good team which well entered the season and I’m sure it will be our big rival until the end of the season.”
“Mainz? It is a team with good organization and quick players, we have to give 100 percent on the pitch because I expect an intense encounter.”
“At Bayern there is always pressure and I know that it will not be an easy match against Mainz, besides in the last couple of years, Bayern had always problems against them.”
For this Friday game against Mainz 05, Ancelotti can’t count on injured young duo, Coman and Green. It is questionable whether the midfielder Kimmich will start from the first minute, as well as other strong candidates for the starting lineup like Javi Martinez and Douglas Costa.
Team probable lineups
Mainz 05: Lossl, Donati, Bell, Bungert, Balogun, Bussmann, F.Frei, Ramalho, Oztunali, Jairo, Malli
Out: Clemens, Gbamin, Berggreen, Muto
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Lahm, J.Boateng, Hummels, Alaba, Xabi Alonso, Vidal, Thiago, T.Muller, F.Ribery, Lewandowski
Out: Coman, Green
Match prediction: Usually at the games between these two sides a lot of goals can be seen, especially when the game is played in Mainz. The same could happen and now because Mainz have nothing to lose and will try with to play an open game to surprise favored Bayern, who has the imperative of victory and therefore 3 or more goals are the best bet here. If you consider to place a bet on this game and you like using your phone for that, be sure to check one of the best and read bet365 mobile app review.