Under new management, Mainz 05 welcome local rivals Eintracht Frankfurt to the Opel Arena on Saturday, hoping to bounce back from a Bundesliga battering at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Mid-table Frankfurt, meanwhile, come into the game full of confidence due to a fine win over Bayer Leverkusen last time out.

Match preview

Following a season of turmoil, the managerial merry-go-round continued apace at under-performing Mainz this week, following their exit on penalties from the DFB-Pokal just before Christmas.

After former Huddersfield Town manager Jan Siewert took charge of the Rhineside club's first game of 2021 away at Bayern Munich - which the plucky visitors unexpectedly led by two goals at half time before eventually succumbing to a 5-2 defeat - Mainz made yet another change in the dugout.

Former player and youth boss Bo Svensson will now take the reins ahead of Saturday's local clash with Frankfurt.

The former Denmark international succeeds Jan-Moritz Lichte, who had already replaced Achim Beierlorzer earlier in the season and will continue the club's tradition of appointing a familiar face.

Jurgen Klopp made over 300 appearances for the club before taking charge in 2001, while Thomas Tuchel, Martin Schmidt, Sandro Schwarz and Lichte had all previously overseen the youth teams or reserves.

After their latest defeat to Bayern, Mainz sit second from bottom in the Bundesliga with only six points after 14 games, just above another crisis club in winless Schalke.

Mainz's attempt at salvation will be helmed by an entirely new managerial structure, with Svensson being joined by the club's former sporting director Christian Heidel, who assumes the position of "board member for strategy, sport and communication", while former head coach Schmidt returns in Heidel's old role.

It remains to be seen whether the influx of new faces can effect a turnaround of the major proportions needed by Die Nullfunfer, as they are now five points from safety - winning just one league game so far - and have been conceding goals at an alarming rate of more than two per game.

Frankfurt enjoyed perhaps their best result of the season last week, as they turned over third-placed Leverkusen at the Commerzbank-Arena.

That was their second successive league win either side of the winter break after having failed to win any of their previous nine Bundesliga matches.

Adi Hutter's side's win at Augsburg to end 2020 brought to a conclusion a barren run packed with draws - including two against high-flyers Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.

Certainly, a haul of just four wins from 13 matches represents a poor return for an outfit expected to contend for European qualification - a race in which they are nonetheless still involved.

After a long spell of career drift, their once hotly-tipped Portugal striker Andre Silva - who dovetailed beautifully with Cristiano Ronaldo in his first appearances for the national team before a failed move to Milan - has established himself as first choice centre-forward.

With nine goals in 13 games this term - and 24 from 38 in all competitions during 2020 - the ex-Porto star will lead the line with confidence against the leaky Mainz defence on Saturday.

Coming up against a Leverkusen side which typically dominated possession but were vulnerable to the counter-attack, Die Adler secured that crucial 2-1 win last time out with just a third of possession and only four shots on target.

In this Rhineland derby though, Frankfurt will instead be expected to take the game to their eminently vulnerable opponents and secure a third league win on the spin.

These sides met for the last time in June 2020, when Mainz triumphed 2-0, with the underdogs currently on a run of three straight victories and unbeaten in four head-to-head clashes between the clubs. Given events since then, few would bet on that run continuing this weekend.

Mainz 05 Bundesliga form: DLLDLL
Mainz 05 form (all competitions): LLDLDL

Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga form: DDLDWW

Team News

Frankfurt midfielder Sebastian Rode returns from suspension for the Eagles, so coach Hutter may shift Makoto Hasebe into a three-man back line in place of France Under-21 international Evan N'Dicka. Full-back Jetro Willems should also return to the squad.

Speedy young striker Ragnar Ache is again absent with a hamstring problem, as Silva starts up front - with Bas Dost having recently departed for Club Brugge.

New Mainz boss Svensson can call upon first-choice goalkeeper Robin Zentner after he recovered from a back problem, while midfielder Levin Oztunali could also be available again after a thigh injury.

Defender Moussa Niakhate is back from suspension and will return to central defence for the Bundesliga strugglers, while goal-shy Robin Quaison should continue to lead the forward line.

Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Zentner; St Juste, Hack, Niakhate, Mwene; Burkardt, Latza, Fernandes, Boetius, Brosinski; Quaison

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Hasebe, Hinteregger, Abraham; Durm, Sow, Rode, Kostic; Kamada, Younes; Silva

We say: Mainz 05 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt

Given the opposition for his debut in the dugout, a happy start to Svensson's Mainz return appears unlikely.

This local derby will most probably be decided by Frankfurt's more able attack getting the better of the home side's disorganised defence - so any miracles at Mainz may have to wait.

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