Bayer Leverkusen will be looking to increase their lead when they host Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga. The visitors are languishing at the bottom of the table and are looking to hold onto their top-flight status. The hosts are attempting to win their first-ever Bundesliga title this season.
Preview (Bayer Leverkusen vs. Mainz 05)
Last weekend, Bayer Leverkusen defeated Heidenheim 2-1 at Voith-Arena to extend their incredible unbeaten streak to 32 games in all competitions. This equals Bayern Munich’s all-time German football record for the longest unbeaten stretch dating back to 2020. A goal from Amine Adli in the 81st minute put Leverkusen ahead by two goals. Tim Kleindienst equalized five minutes later to set up a nerve-wracking finale. The visitors held on for their 18th league victory of the season. Jeremie Frimpong had opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time.
Leverkusen’s lead at the top of the Bundesliga has grown to eight points under in-demand head coach Xabi Alonso. He has been linked to both Bayern and Liverpool in recent weeks. Should they defeat Mainz on Friday, their lead could rise to eleven points. It would occur before Bayern hosts RB Leipzig on Saturday. Die Werkself should be optimistic about winning their final 12 games, beginning with a victory against Mainz. They defeated 3-0 earlier in the season. No Bundesliga team has ever failed to win the championship after holding an eight-point lead at this point in the season.
Leverkusen is excited to play again in the BayArena. They have won their past 18 games across all competitions, including 11 in the Bundesliga this year. Mainz defeated Augsburg 1-0 at home this weekend, ending their 11-game Bundesliga losing streak. This is only the second time this season that Mainz has secured all possible points. The goal came just before halftime.
Team News
As they continue to heal from injuries, Bayer Leverkusen is still missing its leading scorer Victor Boniface (groin), Eduardo Palacios, and Arthur (both thighs). Odilon Kossounou, who won the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast last weekend, will be vying to start as a center-back or midfielder on Friday, while Edmond Tapsoba, another player who just got back from AFCON duty, might be called up to the defense.
Adli, who has scored in his past two games, should be able to stave off rivals Jonas Hofmann and Nathan Tella to re-start in the final third with Florian Wirtz and either Borja Iglesias or Patrick Schick. Regarding Mainz, the following players are still in the treatment room: Jonathan Burkardt (sickness), Eduardo Fernandes (ankle), Maxim Leitsch (muscle), and Nelson Weiper (knee). Jonathan Hanche-Olsen (thigh), Nelson Weiper (knee), and Stefan Bell (illness) are all questionable.
Joshua Guilavogui or Anthony Caci could start in the back three with Van den Berg and Dominik Kohr in place of Hanche-Olsen, who was substituted off during the victory over Augsburg. The other player plays as a left wing-back. Although Karim Onisiwo hasn’t scored in 17 of his 17 games this season after scoring 10 goals in the Bundesliga the previous year, the Austrian is anticipated to continue attacking alongside Lee Jae-sung and Branjan Gruda.
Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Mainz 05
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