MAINZ VS SCHALKE PREVIEW & PREDICTION
The 26th matchday of the 1. Bundesliga will be opened on Friday evening in the Opel-Arena with the game between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and FC Schalke 04. The Mainz have been without defeat for three games. At this time there was one win and two draws. On the last weekend, however, it was only with much luck and thanks to a strong keeper Florian Müller that they won a 0: 0 at HSV in their Bundesliga debut. Previously, the top scorers had suffered three consecutive defeats. Despite the small success series, the FSV is still on the relegation place. The Schalke have all won the last three games. With this series, the Royal Blues took over the second place in the table for the first time since the winter break.
On the final day Mainz would have had a great chance in Hamburg to distance themselves with an away win the HSV on ten points. But the team looked paralyzed, especially in the first half. The duel and pass rates were hair-raising, the attempts to clarify were bungling. Only after the dismissal in the 61st minute for Balogun the Mainzer rappelten on. In the end, they went with the 0-0 in spite of a largely underground performance as a felt winner from the game. Thus, you still have seven points ahead of 17th place. With the first team on the saving shore, Wolfsburg in 15th place, you are tied. Of the last five home games, the FSV could win only one. With 42 goals the Rheinhessen have the second worst defensive of the league. At home, it is much better than away: 17 of the 25 seasonal points brought the 05er in their own stadium. Away you could play to zero twice and has conceded only one goal in the last three games. Against 04 is also an anniversary for 05: Mainz denies against Schalke the 400th game (also the 200th home game) of his Bundesliga history.
In the fight for the Champions League places it comes in the Bundesliga closely. The advantage over 5th place is only two points. The 1-0 win against Hertha last weekend was Domenico Tedesco’s third consecutive victory. In the meantime, S04 had fallen back to sixth place in the second half of the season. Coach Tedesco has brought a lot of stability to Gelsenkirchen. The miners rarely play handsome offensive football, but the results are correct. Schalke won two of the last three away games. Of the last five competitive matches you could win four. The performances were in the last games but usually not very sovereign. The victories are usually very tight. Especially in the second half brought the lead against Berlin only very laboriously over time. Against the Rheinhessen Royal Blue can plan again with Guido Burgstaller. The striker was missing against the Berlin for a yellow card suspension.
PREDICTION: Both teams to score / YES @ 1.89
