Mainz vs. Bayer Leverkusen preview: Nullfünfer aim to secure European football
Mainz
Sitting in sixth with 51 points, Mainz are currently on track for Conference League football, with either Stuttgart or Arminia Bielefeld guaranteed a Europa League spot through their DFB-Pokal achievements.
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Putting an end to an eight-game winless run, die Nullfünfer comfortably saw past Bochum last time out, securing a 4-1 win on the road at the Ruhrstadion.
Sitting three points away from Borussia Dortmund in fifth, Europa League qualification is still a faint possibility, should BVB fall to an unlikely defeat against Holstein Kiel, while Mainz overturn a five-goal deficit regarding goal difference.
The hosts have been held to draws in their last four matches on home soil, however, prior to this, Bo Henriksen's men triumphed in six of their previous seven at Mewa Arena.
Team News
Henriksen will hope that injuries to centre-backs Dominik Kohr and Moritz Jenz do not prove costly as Mainz head into the weekend.
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Goalkeeper Robin Zentner is also set to miss the final matchday after a sensational campaign in between the sticks for Mainz.
Bayer Leverkusen
Detrhoned champions Bayer Leverkusen took the lead against Borussia Dortmund last time out, however, they went on to succumb to a 4-2 defeat in manager Xabi Alonso's final match at the BayArena.
Despite all of the noise surrounding the club regarding the futures of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, Alonso will be keen to end his reign with a win, despite the fact that die Werkself cannot finish any higher, or lower than second in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen picked up all three points against die Nullfünfer back in January thanks to an Alejandro Grimaldo free kick in a 1-0 home win.
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However, they enter this weekend in subpar form, having drawn three of their past five Bundesliga matches, with last weekend's defeat against Dortmund being their one loss.
Team News
For Leverkusen, defenders Jeanuel Belocian, Mario Hermoso and Nordi Mukiele are all ruled out.
Further forward, Martin Terrier remains out after suffering an Achilles tendon injury earlier in the season.
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