Mainz vs Borussia Dortmund: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction
Mid-table Mainz host a misfiring Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday afternoon.
Bo Svensson's side are almost exactly as far away from the top two as the division's bottom duo in ninth place. Dortmund occupy the loftier reaches of second but fell even further behind Bayern Munich and crashed out of the Europa League last week.
Here's all you need to know about the upcoming game.
How to watch Mainz vs Dortmund on TV/live stream
When is kick off? Sunday 6 March, 14:30 (GMT)
Where is the match being played? Mewa Arena
TV channel/live stream? Sky Sports Football (UK), ESPN+ (US), Sportsnet (Canada)
Highlights? Sky Sports & Bundesliga YouTube channel
Referee? TBC
VAR? TBC
Mainz team news
Dominik Kohr collected a quick-fire double yellow card within minutes of Union Berlin's second goal in Mainz's 3-1 defeat last weekend. Alexander Hack is set to join him with a one-game suspension for his fifth caution of the campaign earlier that same game.
Mainz have been without their highly thought of centre back Jerry St. Juste for much of the season. A recurring shoulder injury is expected to keep him out of Dortmund's visit as well.
Dortmund team news
Die Diagnostik ergab, dass ich mich eine Sehne an der Oberschenkelrückseite gerissen hat.
— Thomas Meunier (@ThomMills) February 27, 2022
Ich wirde dem BVB im März und April definitiv nicht zur Verfügung stehen.
Bis bald für neue Abenteuer ?#TOTOUTARD #HEJABVB pic.twitter.com/1vKKNBSGlK
Thomas Meunier confirmed that he has torn the tendon in the back of his thigh, ruling him out for the entirety of March and April. Youssoufa Moukoko suffered an injury in the same area during his tenth substitute appearance of the campaign against Augsburg last weekend.
Club captain Marco Reus missed out on that flat 1-1 draw altogether after limping off in Glasgow the previous midweek. And with Erling Haaland still uncomfortable in his movement, Dortmund have been robbed of two hugely integral figures.
Manuel Akanji (calf) and Dan-Axel Zagadou (thigh) limit Marco Rose's options in central defence while Gio Reyna has been subjected to a morale-crushing setback in his injury return.
Mainz vs Dortmund head-to-head record
Mainz and Dortmund may have shared a number of managers over the years, but there hasn't been an abundance of matches between the pair.
Fittingly, Mainz's best spell against Borussia came when future BVB managers Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel were at the helm in the 2000s during Mainz's first seasons of Bundesliga football. The pair combined to collect 11 points from the club's first eight league meetings with Dortmund.
However, since 2010, Dortmund have won 17 of the 23 top-flight games against the 05ers, losing just three times (D3).
Mainz vs Dortmund score prediction
Dortmund have long since fallen into the trap of predictable unpredictability but their exploits of late have only exacerbated the uncertainty surrounding every stride the team takes on the pitch.
Mainz, however, have shown little consistency themselves; beating high-flying Bayer Leverkusen and losing to rock-bottom Greuther Furth within the space of a month.
Without their captain and top goalscorer, Dortmund have had two vertebrae ripped out of their spine. Yet, given the talent peppered across the rest of the team - with a meaty dollop boasted by a certain English midfielder - Dortmund may pull off the unexpected by adhering to expectations.
Prediction: Mainz 1-2 Dortmund