http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/1-FSV-Mainz-05-c38166 05 vs. Eintracht Frankfurt – German Bundesliga Preview
Stadion am Bruchweg will see Mainz take on Eintracht Frankfurt in a match that has high stakes for both the sides.
Europa League dreams
Mainz coach, Thomas Tuchel, knows that his side is very close to sealing a place in next season’s edition of the UEFA Europa League. As it stands, Mainz occupy fifth place in the Bundesliga standings, which is the final spot for a place in Europe next season.
However, Mainz have FC Nurnberg breathing hard down their necks. Only two points divide Mainz and the Bavarian side; any slip-up from Tuchel’s side may end the side’s dream of playing in Europe the next season.
Rhineland derby and difference of opinion
Thomas Tuchel insists that tonight’s derby with Frankfurt would be just like any other home game. However, Eintracht Frankfurt manager Christoph Daum begs to differ. Both the sides have different motives ahead of the feisty affair tonight. Christopher Daum’s
side stands 16th in the league table, dangerously close to the relegation zone. Thomas Tuchel thinks that the game won’t be any different from the other games in Bundesliga. While talking to the media, the German said, "My task is to prepare my
team as well as possible for the game, and that does not depend on how far away our opponents live from our own stadium. It is a home game like any other, only the opponents this time are called Eintracht Frankfurt.''
Daum, however, took a different approach towards the game. While talking to the media, the former Hertha http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Berlin-c7536 coach said, "Duels between Mainz and Eintracht are bigger than the derbies between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke. There was not such a rivalry
in the past, but in a short space of time, the world has been turned upside down here.”
Daum might not be wrong in saying this as so match has changed for both these sides in recent years. Mainz have become a shooting star of Bundesliga this season, while Eintracht Frankfurt can be considered top flight veterans. It would be a sad day indeed
should a club of Eintracht Frankfurt’s stature, with such proud history, gets relegated. Winning against Mainz, thus, would be a priority for the Rhine-club.
Previous Meeting
The two sides previously met at Commerzbank Arena last December and Frankfurt won the game 2-1. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marco-Russ-c23742 gave Frankfurt the lead in the 35thminute of the game but Andre Schurrle equalised for Mainz. However, Frankfurt’s top scorer, Theofanis
Gekas, scored from a penalty in the 84th minute to win the first derby of the season.
Top scorers
Andre Schurrle (Mainz)
With 13 goals and 4 assists, 20-year-old Andre Schurrle has been in sublime form for Mainz this season. Schurrle and Dortmund starlet, Mario Gotze, are the first two German International players to have been born in ‘reunified’ http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904.
Theofanis Gekas (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Greek International http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Theofanis-Gekas-c34884 has been in sublime for the Rhine club this season. With 16 goals and one assist, the 30-year old is the club’s top-scorer and his form would be vital if Christopher Daum’s charges are to survive the relegation threat.
Prediction
Though Mainz have been a breath of fresh air in a predictable European berth scrap, Frankfurt may put Tuchel’s men to the sword tonight. Relegation is not something Frankfurt fans are used to seeing as the club has been relegated only 5 times in its history.
Last week, Frankfurt drew with Bayern Munich and it is likely that the side will replicate last week’s form tonight and might even get all three points.
Predicted final score: Mainz 0-1 http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Eintracht-Frankfurt-c38994
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