1. FSV Mainz 05 vs. 1. FC Union Berlin preview: Die Eisernen still searching for first victory under Eta

The fixture rounding off the Bundesliga weekend sees Urs Fischer’s Mainz host his former side Union Berlin, who remain in search of their first victory under interim head coach Marie-Louise Eta.

Mainz can approach their final home game of the season with a sense of calm, reflecting on a remarkable turnaround in 2026 which has lifted them from the foot of the table to the safety of 10th place - a testament to the impressive work done by Fischer since taking charge.

The 05ers mathematically secured Bundesliga survival last weekend with a crucial away victory over relegation-threatened FC St. Pauli. After losing three of their previous four matches in all competitions, Mainz responded emphatically, racing into a two-goal lead before half-time through Phillip Tietz and Phillipp Mwene. Although the hosts pulled one back late on via Abdoulie Ceesay, Fischer’s side held firm to take all three points.

Despite already securing safety, Fischer insists there will be no drop in intensity over the final two matches of the campaign:

“We’re facing Union at home and want to win, as there are still points up for grabs. Even if we’ve managed to avoid the drop, I’ve no intention of easing off in these final two fixtures. There are six points to be won before the end of the season, and that’s what I intend to do.”

Union Berlin, meanwhile, can also breathe easier knowing their Bundesliga status is secure for another year. Although they are now winless in their last six league matches, they sit seven points clear of the relegation places with only two games remaining.

There were encouraging signs in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against 1. FC Köln, which ended a run of three consecutive defeats. Union found themselves 2-0 down by the 61st minute, but showed resilience to fight back, with Livan Burcu netting a dramatic 89th-minute equaliser to earn a valuable point - one that ultimately guaranteed survival.

Eta believes her side can still finish the season strongly despite their difficult recent form:

“We still have two games ahead of us and we want to approach both with full conviction and positivity. In Mainz, it’s important to take the first step and ideally secure the three points. What will be crucial is that we stick to our routines, maintain our intensity, and continue to work consistently. This week, I have seen the team ready to invest everything once more to be as successful as possible.”

The reverse fixture back in January ended in an entertaining 2-2 draw. Mainz raced into a two-goal lead through Nadiem Amiri and Benedict Hollerbach before goals from Jeong Woo-Yeong and Marin Ljubičić rescued a point for Union. Mainz have not beaten Union since 2021, while Union’s last victory at the MEWA Arena also came in the same year.

Team news 

1. FSV Mainz 05: Benedict Hollerbach and Silas remain sidelined through injury. However, Jae-Sung Lee has returned to training following his recovery from a broken toe and could feature in the squad.

1. FC Union Berlin: Union will be without Frederik Rönnow, Matheo Raab and David Preu due to injury for Sunday’s trip to Mainz.

Predicted lineups 

1. FSV Mainz 05 (3-5-2): Batz (GK) - da Costa, Posch, Kohr - Widmer, Nebel, Sano, Amiri, Mwene - Tietz, Becker 

1. FC Union Berlin (3-4-2-1): Klaus (GK) - Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite - Juranović, Kemlein, Khedira, Rothe - Burcu, Ansah - Ilić