Although sixth-placed Mainz 05 are six spots ahead of Augsburg in the Bundesliga table heading into Saturday's gameweek 21 match-ups at Mewa Arena, the away side are in superior form.
The Bavarians are fourth in the form table after notching 10 points from the previous five rounds, accruing four more than this weekend's hosts, who have fallen to three losses in the same period.
Match preview
After notching five victories in six to end 2024, Bo Henriksen's men have been beaten in three of the previous five gameweeks, losing away from home at Bayer Leverkusen (1-0), Union Berlin (2-1) and Werder Bremen (1-0).
Despite their inability to win on their travels in 2025, the 05ers have claimed consecutive wins in front of their supporters, securing 2-0 victories over relegation-threatened VfL Bochum and fellow European chasers Stuttgart to continue an outstanding sequence of results at Mewa Arena.
The recent triumphs have extended the Carnival Club's streak of home wins to five — matched by only Bayern Munich and Leverkusen — and they seek a sixth consecutive top-flight success as hosts to set a new club record.
Regardless of Augsburg's form, supporters will back their team to notch another success in Rhineland-Palatinate against a team Mainz typically fare well against, highlighted by four wins in the previous five Bundesliga match-ups and three consecutive triumphs at Mewa Arena heading into this weekend's meeting.
Success for Henriksen's side (31 points) could take them above fourth-placed RB Leipzig (33) or Stuttgart in fourth (32), but a slip-up leaves the 05ers at risk of sliding in the standings, with Borussia Monchengladbach, Bremen and Freiburg on 30 points, while Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund have 29.
Sitting five points adrift of this weekend's hosts, Augsburg's form since the turn of the year has brought them into the conversation for a possible European berth next season via a top-six finish.
Having ended 11th last term, the one-time continental football participants sit one place lower before Saturday's 21st round, even if a fourth success in six to start the year strengthens the Bavarians' ambition to compete for a coveted European spot.
Jess Thorup's men's strong start to 2025 leaves them fourth in the form table, trailing Bayern (15 points), Leverkusen (13) and Eintracht Frankfurt (11), and the 12th-placed visitors seek to extend their four-match unbeaten league sequence.
Although Fuggerstadter suffered an away defeat in the 1-0 DFB-Pokal quarter-final defeat by Stuttgart on Tuesday, Thorup's side are undefeated in three top-flight matches on their travels in 2025, keeping clean sheets in 2-0 victories at Union Berlin and Bremen before playing out a 1-1 draw with St Pauli at the start of February.
A win or draw against Mainz would see the outsiders for Europe match their 2020 run of four unbeaten away games, a feat that included a 1-0 victory over the same opposition, which would be ideal for the Bavarians.
Team News
Anthony Caci received his fifth booking of the season against Bremen to rule out the wing-back this weekend through suspension.
While Stefan Bell is out due to a muscular issue, Nadiem Amiri (knock) and Nelson Weiper (illness) should start after recovering from their respective problems.
Although 12-goal Bundesliga man Jonathan Burkardt has scored one fewer match-winning goal than Harry Kane (six), the two-goal hero in the reverse fixture (Mainz won 3-2) is doubtful this weekend with a hamstring issue.
Augsburg's Dimitrios Giannoulis will serve a one-game ban after picking up his fifth booking in last weekend's draw with St Pauli.
Missing due to injury for the away side are Henri Koudossou (hamstring), Yusuf Kabadayi (knee), Marius Wolf (ankle) and Mergim Berisha (muscle).
Alexis Claude-Maurice and Samuel Essende are the Bavarians' leading goalscorers, scoring six and five times respectively, placing the onus on the pair to come up trumps in Mainz.
Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Zentner; Da Costa, Jenz, Kohr; Widmer, Sano, Amiri, Mwene; Nebel, Lee; Weiper
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Banks; Gumny, Onyeka, Jakic, Rexhbecaj, Pedersen; Claude-Maurice, Essende
We say: Mainz 05 2-2 Augsburg
Although last season's corresponding fixture ended 1-0 to Mainz, this contest has typically been goal-laden since 2021, with both teams scoring. That pattern should continue this weekend as both teams share the spoils in round 21.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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