12BETHandicap Bundesliga Preview 9/29

 Bundesliga Preview: Mainz - Borussia Dortmund- byhttp://sports.yahoo.com

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Mainz (4-2-3-1): Muller; Bungert, Svensson, Noveski, Pospech; Polanski, Soto; Risse, Ivanschitz, Choupo-Moting; Allagui

Mainz has been in poor form recently, as head coach Thomas Tuchel and his men will be looking to bounce back against the reigning Bundesliga champion with a near full-strength team. Only Florian Heller and former Real Madrid man Adam Szalai are unavailable for this game.

Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Lowe; Gundogan, Kehl; Gotze, Kagawa, Perisic; Lewandowski

Chris Lowe will slot back into the team after Germany international Marcel Schmelzer was ruled out with yet another injury. Julian Koch and Marvin Bakalorz are the other absentees for Jurgen Klopp's men, who will be looking for their first win since round two of the Bundesliga.

The pairing in the center of the pitch is anybody's guess, but it is believed that captain Sebastian Kehl will be partnered by either Ilkay Gundogan or Sven Bender. Ivan Perisic is set to play on the left side of the attacking midfield trident, replacing Kevin Grosskreutz, who has lost his place in the starting lineup after some poor performances recently.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Mainz has lost its last two home games, conceding eight goals in the process.
  
  
• The host side on Saturday has never scored more than a single goal in a match against BVB.

• After six rounds, Mainz has slipped in the lower half of the table for the first time since Thomas Tuchel took over the team two years ago.

• Borussia Dortmund has a negative record coming into matchday seven. In 26 years, only Stuttgart has done as badly as reigning champion.

• Last season's away win over Mainz (0-2) placed BVB at the top of the table, and the club never surrendered the top spot until the end of the term.

 

Posted in: 12BETHandicap, Borussia, Bundesliga, Mainz, Preview