Bongarts
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
BORUSSIA DORTMUND  Weidenfeller Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer Gundogan, Bender Kuba, Kagawa, Grosskreutz Lewandowski | MAINZ  Wetklo Caligiuri, Bungert, Noveski, Zabavnik Baumgartlinger, Polanski, Soto Ivanschitz Szalai, Zidan |
Jurgen Klopp will be glad to welcome back Sven Bender, who has recovered from a serious head injury he picked up in the 3-1 win against Hannover in the last round after he was kicked by Mame Biram Diouf.
Captain Sebastian Kehl, however, is banned for the game after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, while Mario Gotze is not expected to return to first-team action for at least two weeks. Julian Koch is also unavailable as he is still recovering from his long-term injury.
For Mainz defender Jan Kirchhoff is automatically banned for Saturday's clash after accumulating five yellow cards. Thomas Tuchel will also be unable to rely on Stefan Bell, Zdenek Pospech, Marcel Risse and Bo Svensson, who are recovering from injuries.
| DID YOU KNOW |
Borussia Dortmund have not won at home against Mainz for almost seven years.
- Goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller is set to make his 250th appearance in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
- Mats Hummels' last legue goal was scored against Mainz nearly a year ago.
- Mainz are on a five-game unbeaten streak, and picked up their biggest win of the season in last round as they trashed Kaiserslautern 4-0.
- The man at the heart of the Oh-Fives' resurgence of late is Mohamed Zidan, who transferred to Thomas Tuchel's team from no other than Dortmund in January. In six games for Mainz, the striker has bagged 4 goals and one assist.
- Six of the last 12 games between the Oh-Fives and BVB have ended in a draw.
BVB's run cannot last forever, they have won seven games on the trot and are unbeaten since the middle of September. Mainz' season is finally looking up for good, and with Zidan fired up to punish his former team, the Oh-Fives can get a point.
Editor's Prediction
Dortmund 1-1 Mainz 
