Mainz vs RB Leipzig prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-10-18 13:30.
[p]Bundesliga football is back, although manager Bo Henriksen might have spent the international break trying to figure out how to improve Mainz’s home form. The 05ers have been in superb form on the road so far this season, picking up seven of an available nine points (W2, D1), but things could barely be more different at the Mewa Arena, where they remain winless after three outings (D1, L2).[/p]
[p]That run includes defeats to Borussia Dortmund and Heidenheim, with the boss describing his side’s performance as “really poor” after they lost the latter of those two games 2-0. Mainz did at least bounce back from that fixture by winning 3-0 at St. Pauli in their most recent outing, meaning they now have a chance to register back-to-back Bundesliga victories for only the third time since March 2023![/p]
[p]History suggests they might have a chance of doing that against opponents RB Leipzig, who have lost three of the last four away H2Hs (D1). That is about where the positives stop for the hosts, given the Red Bulls sit second in the table ahead of this round, behind leaders Bayern Munich only on goal difference, courtesy of an unbeaten record in the league so far this season (W4, D2).[/p]
[p]Their final game before the international pause was a 1-0 win at Heidenheim, during which Marco Rose’s side registered a fourth consecutive Bundesliga clean sheet. That leaves them well placed to challenge for a first German title, and if the manager wants any advice on how to maintain that push for top spot, he will be able to call upon the services of Premier League winning boss Jürgen Klopp come January, after the former Liverpool head coach was unveiled as Red Bull’s new Head of Global Soccer.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner is unbeaten in his four previous home H2Hs (W3, D1), registering a pair of clean sheets in the process. Putting that record to the test will be LoĂŻs Openda, who has helped RB Leipzig to victory in 11 of the last 12 games in which he has scored (D1).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: RB Leipzig’s two 0-0 draws this season is a high for the Bundesliga, and already the same number of goalless stalemates that they had in 2023/24.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]