Mainz 05 vs. Bayer Leverkusen preview: Visitors looking to extend unbeaten run

Mainz 05

Mainz have lost just one of their opening four Bundesliga games this season. After starting out with a goalless draw against Paderborn, Die Nullfünfer found their cutting edge in an impressive 5-0 away victory over Hamburger SV, only to be quickly stopped in their tracks by a 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Crucially, they managed to return to winning ways before the international break, pulling off a 4-3 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach at Borussia Park, leaving them in sixth spot and one of five teams on seven points from fourth to eighth.

While they may be sitting outside the top four on goal difference, Mainz are one of five teams yet to win at home in the Bundesliga this season. They will hope to put that right on Saturday, although they will have to end a six-game winless run in head-to-head meetings if they are to take the spoils. Mainz last win against Leverkusen came via a 3-2 scoreline at the BayArena in February 2023, while their most recent head-to-head home victory took place in February 2022. 

Team News

The hosts are expected to be without Robin Zentner, Dominik Kohr, Otto Ruoppo and Silas. Meanwhile, Paul Nebel, Silvan Widmer and Fabio Gruber should be available for selection after recovering from their respective injury issues.

Click here to see Mainz's predicted lineup for this contest.

Bayer Leverkusen

After starting life as a Bundesliga coach with a 3-2 defeat to Elversberg, Carles Martínez Novell has overseen an upturn in fortunes with a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Die Werkself got off the mark with an emphatic 4-0 win over Union Berlin before playing out a 2-2 draw in their away clash with Augsburg.

Leverkusen then recorded consecutive 2-0 home victories over Celje and RB Leipzig in the Europa League and Bundesliga, respectively. Patrik Schick and Miguel Gutiérrez grabbed a goal apiece in the win against Leipzig, sending Leverkusen into the international window in fifth spot. 

Die Werkself return to action with a trip to the Mewa Arena, where they will bid to claim their first away league win of the season. They will also be looking to reproduce the sort of defensive resilience they have shown at the BayArena with three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions. 

They can take confidence from the fact they have won six of their last eight away games against Mainz, including a thrilling 4-3 victory in their most recent visit to the Mewa Arena in October 2025. 

Team News

Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane is set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining an injury while on international duty with Cameroon. The visitors will also be without Kennet Eichhorn, Montrell Culbreath and Guéla Doué, while a late decision will be made on Ibrahim Maza’s availability. 

Click here to see Leverkusen's predicted lineup for this contest.

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        Bayern Munich–Union Berlin (18 September 2026): full-time Over 2.5 goals across each team’s last 10 Bundesliga matches, home and away; captured 16 September 2026. Includes previous-season results; percentages show historical frequency, not a prediction.