Our betting expert shares his Mainz vs Bayern Munich predictions. Bayern are likely to leave with a convincing win to keep their lead at the top.
As both teams prepare for this clash, punters looking to maximise their wagers can take advantage of the latest free bets available.
Mainz vs Bayern Munich Betting Predictions
All odds courtesy of bet365 - correct at time of publishing and subject to change
Visitors to pile on Mainz's misery
There is rarely an ideal moment to face Bayern Munich, given their remarkable dominance of German football. Yet, facing the champions couldn’t come at a worse possible time for Mainz. The home side have won just one of their last five outings in all competitions and lost the other four.
Meanwhile, the Reds are unbeaten in 15 matches this season and have won 10 of them. Their last competitive defeat came in last season’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The Bavarians need three points here and, judging from the past, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Bayern have won four of the last six head-to-heads, with the hosts winning once in that run. While the visitors could dominate their way to three points, they’re still susceptible to conceding goals. Mainz scored three times in the corresponding fixture last season, part of a run that saw both teams score in seven of the last 10 head-to-heads.
- Mainz vs Bayern Munich Betting Tip 1: 1x2 & BTTS - Bayern Munich & Yes @ 21/20 on bet365
Olise to deliver on Saturday
Bayern are dealing with a growing injury list, with several important players currently sidelined, including Ismael Saibari, Luis Diaz, Serge Gnabry, and Jamal Musiala. They suffered a huge scare against Borussia Dortmund when Michael Olise limped off in the 84th minute after already seeing Saibari and Gnabry depart. However, subsequent checks revealed no knee damage, allowing the winger to feature in the midweek trip to Madrid.
Finding the right value is key, so we recommend comparing odds across the UK's best betting sites before confirming your selections.
Olise completed the full 90 minutes at the Metropolitano, although he was unable to make the impact he would have hoped for. Still, he recorded a 50% dribble success rate and took one shot. Nevertheless, his overall contribution should be considered in the context of an impressive season, as he currently leads Bayern’s Bundesliga scoring charts.
The Frenchman has scored six goals and provided three assists in his eight Bundesliga appearances this term. He’s on a run of scoring four goals in his last five matches for the club. Olise scored the second of four goals for Bayern in the corresponding fixture last season, as the champions romped home 4-3 after losing 3-0 at half-time.
- Mainz vs Bayern Munich Betting Tip 2: Anytime goalscorer - Michael Olise @ 5/4 on bet365
Could we see a repeat of last season?
Looking at last season’s corresponding fixture is enough to indicate that this could be a game filled with goals. Bayern scored four unanswered second-half goals to claim maximum points last term, but they tend to score plenty of goals. This season, they’ve scored 27 goals in just eight games, averaging 3.38 goals per match.
On average, their league matches have seen 4.38 goals per game this term. Mainz are no different, as their matches produced 4.25 goals per game going both ways. At home, Die Nullfunfer conceded an average of 2.5 goals per match, which is encouraging for the visitors.
Although the visitors are yet to score four goals in an away fixture this season, their performance at this ground last term offers reason for optimism. Bayern have scored four or more goals in three of their last six head-to-heads, which shows it’s worth backing them to put Mainz to the sword.
For those planning to follow the action and place in-play wagers during the match, downloading one of the top-rated betting apps ensures you won't miss any sudden shifts in momentum.
- Mainz vs Bayern Munich Betting Tip 3: Bayern Munich total - Over 3.5 goals @ 13/8 on bet365
Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction: Mainz 1-4 Bayern Munich
- Goalscorers prediction: Mainz: Phillip Tietz - Bayern Munich: Harry Kane x2, Lennart Karl, Michael Olise
Mainz have had a miserable few weeks, having been eliminated from the DFB-Pokal. Bochum beat them 2-0 last week to send Die Nullfunfer out of the German Cup. Urs Fischer’s side lost consecutive league matches before and after their cup exit.
As a result, the Carnival club have slipped to ninth in the standings and are increasingly conscious of the threat below them. Only three points separate Mainz from Union Berlin, who currently occupy 16th place. Strangely enough, they’ve performed better away from home in the league this season, so being at the Mewa Arena here doesn’t offer much hope.
Bayern were in Champions League action during the week, and they calmly saw off Atletico Madrid 2-0 in Spain. That result kept them within a point of the top eight of the competition, while their domestic position remains considerably more straightforward. After last week’s 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern continue to lead the Bundesliga.
They’re still without head coach Vincent Kompany, who is recovering from illness, but they got the job done in midweek despite this absence. The Bavarians could have done the same last weekend had it not been for a penalty miss by Harry Kane and a late equaliser from BVB. The visitors know what they have to do on Saturday afternoon to ensure they consolidate their position at the Bundesliga summit.
Probable lineups for Mainz vs Bayern Munich
Mainz expected lineup: Zentner, da Costa, Widmer, Potulski, Caci, Nebel, Sano, Amiri, Martel, Becker, Tietz
Bayern Munich expected lineup: Urbig, Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Olise, Karl, Davies, Kane