Now it’s getting interesting – Borussia continues the chase for Bayern

Borussia Dortmund will look to maintain early-season pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich when they visit Mainz 05 at the Mewa Arena on Saturday.

Mainz come into matchday five on the back of a 4-1 win over Augsburg, climbing to 13th place with four points, though they still sit six points behind second-placed Dortmund after their own 1-0 victory against Wolfsburg on September 21.

Against Augsburg, Mainz had already taken a 2-0 lead by the 53rd minute before Dominik Kohr was sent off, yet they managed to add two more goals before conceding a late one. That triumph marked Mainz’s first Bundesliga win of the 2025-26 season, ending a run of two defeats in their opening four games.

Despite their recent victory, Bo Henriksen’s side have struggled defensively in the Bundesliga, conceding in every league match and going 11 top-flight games without a clean sheet. Offensively, Mainz have found the net four times in two of their last four fixtures, totaling nine goals across that stretch.

Their only home success at Mewa Arena this season came in a Conference League qualifier against Rosenborg on August 28, with defeats in their other home and away league matches highlighting inconsistencies.

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Dortmund, meanwhile, continued their positive run under Niko Kovac with a 1-0 win over Wolfsburg, a match in which the visitors failed to register a single shot on target. They remain one of only two unbeaten teams in the Bundesliga, alongside Bayern Munich, whom they will face in a highly anticipated clash on October 18.

The win over Wolfsburg was notable as Dortmund failed to score more than once for the first time in 12 matches, after netting 12 goals in their previous four games. Kovac has guided the Black and Yellow to three clean sheets in four Bundesliga fixtures, though the team did concede four times in their Champions League draw against Juventus on September 16.

Recent encounters between Dortmund and Mainz suggest a competitive history, with Dortmund winning just once in their last five meetings. In 2024-25, both sides recorded 3-1 victories at home. This season, Dortmund have claimed four wins from six matches, drawing twice on the road and securing two away victories.

Nico Schlotterbeck returned to the lineup against Wolfsburg after a 175-day absence and looks set to start again, though Emre Can and Niklas Sule remain sidelined with injuries. Schlotterbeck could form part of a three-man defense alongside Waldemar Anton and Ramy Bensebaini, shielded by midfielders Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha.

Up front, Mainz will rely on their top scorer Serhou Guirassy, who has netted five times in all competitions, to lead the line alongside Karim Adeyemi and Maximilian Beier, as they look to challenge Dortmund’s defense.

BUNDESLIGA - MATCHDAY 5

Friday

Bayern - Werder 4-0 (2-0)

/Tah 22, Kane 45 pen, 65, Laimer 88/

Saturday

16.30: (2.80) Heidenheim (3.40) Augsburg (2.50)

16.30: (3.35) Mainz (3.75) Dortmund (2.15)

16.30: (3.30) St.Pauli (3.40) Leverkusen (2.20)

16.30: (2.60) Wolfsburg (3.65) RB Leipzig (2.70)

19.30: (3.05) M' gladbach (3.50) Eintr.Frankfurt (2.25)

Sunday

16.30: (2.25) Freiburg (3.75) Hoffenheim (3.15)

18.30: (3.05) Koln (3.60) Stuttgart (2.40)

20.30: (2.00) Union Berlin (3.50) Hamburger (3.80)

***odds are subject to change***