Henry Roldán
With only four matchdays left to play in the Bundesliga, there are still several spots up for grabs in the standings. Two teams with important missions to accomplish will face each other this coming Friday, as part of Matchday 31, when Mainz vs Schalke 04 take each other on.
Mainz is coming off a tough 3-0 loss to Wolfsburg over the weekend, while Schalke 04 is still dreaming of avoiding relegation after its 2-1 victory against Werder Bremen.
It’s worth noting that in their first encounter this season, on Matchday 14, Schalke 04 came out on top with a 1-0 win. Without further ado, at JefeBet, we bring you the best preview of the Mainz vs Schalke 04 match. Don’t miss out!
Predictions, Picks, and Betting Odds for Mainz vs Schalke 04 Bundesliga Matchday 31 Game on May 5, 2023
- Where: Mewa Arena – Mainz Germany
- When: Friday, May 5, 2023, 2:30 PM E.T.
- Moneyline: Mainz (-170) / Tie (+295) / Schalke 04 (+425)
- Asian Handicap: Mainz (-0.5, -175) / Schalke 04 (+0.5, +125)
- Over/Under (3.5): Over (-135) / Under (+110)
- Both teams score: Yes (-130) / No (+105)
Betting on FSV Mainz 05
The impressive second half of Mainz season has put the team in the running for a European spot. However, with just four games left to play, its chances could be dashed by a couple of tough fixtures.
Against all odds, Bo Svensson’s team went on a 10-game unbeaten streak before its recent defeat to Wolfsburg. This run propelled the team up the standings to eighth place with 45 points, just two points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Conference League spot.
Mainz has two relatively easy home games against Schalke 04 and Stuttgart, but it will need to bring its A-game to face Frankfurt and Dortmund, both direct rivals. To achieve good results, the team will rely on its solid offense, which has scored 22 goals in the last 11 games, and only went scoreless in the previous matchday.
At home, Mainz is on a hot streak, having gone seven games without a loss, including a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich two games ago. Besides, it is one of the best defensive teams at home, having only conceded 18 goals in 15 games. During its unbeaten streak, the team scored 19 goals and conceded only seven.
Possible Lineup (3-4-1-2): Robin Zentner; Andreas Hanche-Olsen, Stefan Bell, Edimilson Fernandes; Danny da Costa, Leandro Barreiro, Dominik Kohr, Anthony Caci; Ludovic Ajorque; Karim Onisiwo, Lee Jae-Sung.
Betting on Schalke 04
Schalke 04 has just four matches left to try to avoid being relegated to the second division after being promoted again this season.
Although they have won two out of their last three games, the Miners are still in the relegation zone, currently placed 17th with 27 points. In fact, Schalke 04 is only one point behind Bochum, which is tied in points with Stuttgart, but is in the relegation playoff spot due to goal difference.
Despite the small point difference, Schalke 04’s remaining schedule is far from encouraging. The team with the fewest goals scored (28) in the league, and the fourth-most goals conceded (57) will play three of the last four matches on enemy grounds against Mainz, Bayern Munich, and Leipzig, which are all fighting for top spots in the standings. The only home game is against Frankfurt, which is looking to secure a spot in the Conference League.
On the road, Thomas Reis’ team has the third-worst record in the league, with only eight points out of a possible 42. In fact, Schalke 04 has only won one game on the road, and is the only team that has not scored at least ten goals away, with only seven goals scored.
Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1): Alexander Schwolow; Jere Uronen, Moritz Jenz, Marcin Kamiński, Henning Matriciani; Danny Latza, Alex Král; Kenan Karaman, Dominick Drexler, Marius Bülter; Simon Terodde.
JefeBet Prediction
Schalke 04 has been playing slightly better in recent weeks to avoid relegation, but only when playing at home. The team’s away performance is really ineffective, and this visit to Mainz shouldn’t be any different.
Mainz has not lost at home in seven games, and the doors to the Conference League are still open for the team. Actually, it is one of the best teams in the second half of the Bundesliga, and it is unlikely to repeat its performance against Wolfsburg when facing Schalke 04.
Moreover, in the last three Mainz vs Schalke 04 games, the former has emerged victorious in all of them at home. On the contrary, Schalke 04 has the worst offense in the league, and will have a tough time scoring against Mainz’s solid defense at home.
Prediction: Mainz Moneyline (MAI 2 – SCH 1).
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