Mainz vs Union Berlin prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-01-18 19:30.
Mainz are now winless in seven games (D5, L2) after a 1-1 home draw against Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga restart, with that result leaving them in the relegation playoff place and facing a difficult second half of the season. Scoring has been a huge issue all season, with their return of 14 goals the second worst tally in the division, which combined with their 29 conceded, means they’ll have to improve in all areas if they want to avoid a first relegation since 2006/07.
Ahead of what is a duel between the two most inexperienced Bundesliga coaches at their respective clubs, Mainz coach Jan Siewert (eight games) is already being criticized for his cautious tactics, with captain Silvan Widmer claiming his side need to be more dangerous in the box. Living up to that claim against Union Berlin may not be so straightforward if history is anything to go by, as Mainz have won only one of the last nine Bundesliga H2Hs, a home win in early 2021.
Union are still on the rise under new coach Nenad Bjelica, who has overseen just four games in the hot seat (W2, D1, L1), although they yielded as many points as the previous 12 matchdays. As a result, they have exited the relegation zone and climbed above Mainz to 15th, and with their 0-0 draw at Freiburg in their last away league game ending a run of six consecutive travelling Bundesliga defeats, they should hold a degree of confidence of building on their upturn in form here.
That goalless draw last weekend served as their second clean sheet in succession, but despite that, Bjelica claimed his side "lacked freshness and courage in attack". That would suggest there won’t be many fireworks on the pitch, and there won’t be many off it either after Union were fined 101,000 euros by the DFB because their fans fired too many pyrotechnics at two away games!
Players to watch: Jae-Sung Lee scored the opener in Mainz's last win, as he did with his other goal this season, which also came at home. In Union's only away league win this term on matchday two, Robin Gosens scored two goals in his first game for the club, meaning all five of his Union strikes have come away from home.
Hot stat: Union have failed to score in a league-high nine Bundesliga games this season.