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Bundesliga | Gameweek 34
May 22, 2021 at 2.30pm UK
 
ML
Wolfsburg
2 - 3
Mainz 05
Philipp (47'), Victor (66')
Arnold (51'), Schlager (56'), Philipp (75')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Boetius (44'), Quaison (54'), Bell (77')
Barreiro (29'), Bell (40'), Boetius (61')

Preview: Wolfsburg vs. Mainz 05 - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Wolfsburg vs. Mainz 05 - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Saturday's Bundesliga clash between Wolfsburg and Mainz 05, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Wolfsburg take on Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with little at stake given that both teams have achieved their main objectives for the season.

Wolfsburg wrapped up their Champions League qualification spot last weekend, while Mainz have ensured that they will compete in the Bundesliga for a 13th consecutive season when August comes around.


Match preview

Despite blowing a two-goal lead away to Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal runners-up RB Leipzig to draw 2-2 last time out, Eintracht Frankfurt's shock 4-3 defeat to already-relegated Schalke 04 ensured that the Wolves will avoid any final day nerves against in-form Mainz.

Indeed, had Frankfurt beaten Schalke as they were widely expected to do, Adi Hutter's side would have headed into their final day home tie against Freiburg only one point behind Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League.

However, deservedly so having been solid for the vast majority of the campaign, Oliver Glasner's side will compete in Europe's top competition for the first time since reaching the quarter-final in the 2015-16 campaign.

This season may well be remembered as the Wout Weghorst season by Die Wolfe fans, with the Netherlands striker bagging 20 league goals during a wonderful individual campaign.

Given that Glasner's side is largely based on defensive solidity, Weghorst's goals have often proved the difference between one point and three, with the 28-year-old and his teammates alike hoping to end a successful season on a high against Mainz on Saturday.

It will certainly not be easy for them to do so, however, with Mainz's impressive unbeaten run finally ending at nine matches after a 3-1 defeat at home to Dortmund last weekend.

Die Nullfunfer were outclassed by a ruthless BVB outfit, who converted four shots on target into three goals via strikes from Raphael Guerreiro, Marco Reus and Julian Brandt.

As such, Robin Quaison's injury-time penalty was nothing more than a consolation effort, but the defeat takes nothing away from the miracle Bo Svensson has performed in keeping Mainz up with a game to spare.

The 41-year-old took over in January with the club he spent seven years as a player at marooned at the bottom of the table with only six points after 14 matches, but Svensson has guided them to 30 points from his 19 games in charge so far during an astonishing upturn in form.

Svensson will be hoping for one final push from his players on Saturday, but will be mightily proud of their achievements together whatever ensues.

Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • L
  • W
  • D

Mainz 05 Bundesliga form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • D
  • L



Team News

Wolfsburg remain without Renato Steffen, Josip Brekalo and Bartosz Bialek due to injury.

Otherwise, Glasner appears to have a clean bill of health to select from, with the 46-year-old unlikely to make any changes from the side which drew at Leipzig last weekend.

Mainz, meanwhile, will travel without Jonathan Burkardt and Robin Zentner due to hip and stomach complaints respectively, so Finn Dahmen will continue in goal.

Quaison and Adam Szalai could be handed starts in attack, with Phillipp Mwene and Dominik Kohr also pushing for recalls to the starting XI.

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Mbabu, Lacroix, Brooks, Otavio; Schlager, Arnold; Baku, Philipp, Gerhardt; Weghorst

Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; St Juste, Hack, Niakhate; Da Costa, Kohr, Barreiro, Boetius, Mwene; Quaison, Szalai


We say: Wolfsburg 2-2 Mainz 05

We can envisage an entertaining affair in Wolfsburg on Saturday given that both teams can play without pressure having secured their main aims for the season.

A share of the spoils seems likely, then, given that both sides head into this encounter in decent, albeit dipping, form of late.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data



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Read more about Bartosz Bialek Josip Brekalo Renato Steffen Bo Svensson Robin Quaison Julian Brandt Marco Reus Raphael Guerreiro Wout Weghorst Oliver Glasner Adi Hutter Dominik Kohr Phillipp Mwene Adam Szalai Robin Zentner Jonathan Burkardt Finn Dahmen Football
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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen17143047123545
2Bayern MunichBayern16132152153741
3Stuttgart16111437191834
4RB Leipzig17103438182033
5Borussia DortmundDortmund178633325830
6Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt177642720727
7Freiburg177462126-525
8Hoffenheim177373233-124
9Heidenheim176382633-721
10Wolfsburg176292128-720
11Augsburg174672432-818
12Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach164573135-417
13Werder Bremen164482330-716
14VfL BochumVfL Bochum163761833-1516
15Union BerlinUnion Berlin1642101731-1414
16Mainz 05Mainz171881429-1511
17FC Koln1725101129-1811
18SV Darmstadt 98Darmstadt1724112044-2410
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