Mainz vs FC Koln – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | Bundesliga 2022-23

Bundesliga DFL adjusts new rule for substitution
Bundesliga DFL adjusts new rule for substitution

Bundesliga returns this weekend with Mainz and FC Koln playing the first fixture of Round 11 of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season. 

Venue: Mewa Arena (Mainz) 

Key Statistics

Mainz are one of just two Bundesliga teams without a home win this season (D3, L1).

The host’s average of just 0.5 goals scored per match at home is the worst in the Bundesliga, too.

They have kept a clean sheet in six of their 11 home league H2Hs (W7, D2, L2), and only twice have they conceded more than once against Cologne at home.

The visitors have the third-worst defence after conceding 2.2 goals on average per game.

They are now the only team in the Bundesliga that has won twice this term after a first-half deficit.

Koln have conceded first on a league-high eight occasions after ten games.

Head to head

Mainz 05 vs Köln’s head-to-head record shows that of the 21 meetings they’ve had, Mainz 05 has won seven times and Köln has also won seven times.

Latest performances in all competitions

Mainz: W-W-D-L-L 

FC Koln: W-L-L-L-W 

Mainz 

Mainz will look to make it back-to-back league wins when they welcome FC Koln to Mewa Arena on Friday.

The hosts were winless in four league games (D2, L2) before recording a 2-0 victory at Bremen last weekend.

The win gave them some reprieve and took them up to the eleventh position in the league. They followed up that win with a 3-0 win over Lubeck in the DFB Pokal in midweek, meaning that they come into this tie unbeaten in their last three games.

However, despite their current mid-table placing, Bo Svensson’s side remains one of just two Bundesliga teams without a home win (D3, L1) this season.

The hosts have been poor at home, especially in attack where they currently average 0.5 goals per match, which is the worst in the Bundesliga this season.

But with two wins in a row where they scored 2+ goals and kept clean sheets, coach Bo Svensson will be expecting better here, especially as he said in the wake of his side’s win over Bremen that it was the best he’s seen from his team this season in terms of attitude and character. 

Possible Mainz starting line-up

Robin Zentner; Edimilspn Fernandes, Alexander Hack, Anton Stach; Danny da Costa, Dominik Kohr, Barreiro Martins, Aaron Martin; Jae-Sung Lee, Karim Onisiwo; Marcus Ingvartsen.

Injured: Stefan Bell, Maxim Leitsch, Silvan Widmer, Marlon Mustapha

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None 

FC Koln 

FC Koln will also look to make it two wins in two games when they face Mainz 05 on Friday.

The visitors reacted well to losing three competitive games in a row as they fought back from 1-0 down to win 3-2 against Augsburg last weekend. The win solidified their placement in the top half of the table and ensured that they enter this round of games as the only team in the Bundesliga that has won twice this term after a first-half deficit.

The visitors have been defensively poor, especially in the first half. But despite conceding first on a league-high eight occasions after ten games, they could provisionally move into third place with a win here given that are sitting two points behind third-placed Freiburg.

The last time Steffen Baumgart’s side scored first in the Bundesliga was actually on matchday one, and whilst the coach has praised the will and belief of his team after falling behind, away from home (W1, D3, L1) Cologne still have the third-worst defence after conceding 2.2 goals on average per game. 

Having conceded five in a 5-2 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach in their last league road trip, they will travel to Mewa Arena hoping for more defensive solidity that will give them just their second away win this season.

Possible FC Koln starting line-up

Marvin Schwäbe; Benno Schmitz, Luca Kilian, Timo Hubers, Jonas Hector; Eric Martel, Ondrej Duda, Denos Huseinbasic; Linton Maina, Steffen Tigges.  

Injured: Sebastian Andersson, Julian Chabot, Mathias Olesen, Tim Lemperle, Dejan Ljubcic, Jan Thielmann

Doubtful: None 

Suspended: None

Prediction

Mainz 1-2 FC Koln