It's all to play for on Saturday (kick-off 3:30pm CEST / 1:30pm GMT / 09:30am EST) as Borussia Dortmund can confirm their place in next season's UEFA Champions League with a win over Mainz, who are on the verge of securing their place in the Bundesliga for 2018/19.
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A win is all that is needed for BVB's place in the group stages of next season's Champions League to be confirmed. Sitting four points ahead of fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen with two games to play, Peter Stöger and his side will want to enjoy the final game of the season next weekend without pressure. Despite failing to convert countless chances in the 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen last weekend, Dortmund are expected to start the same way for the third consecutive game. Shinji Kagawa and Marco Reus both missed training on Wednesday, but the latter should be fit for Saturday's game. Roman Weidenfeller could be the only change to the team if he is allowed to enjoy his final match at the Signal Iduna Park from the pitch, with Stöger confirming that he will play in one of the final two games of the season.
Mainz could not be in better form for a trip to Dortmund. Their 3-0 dismantling of RB Leipzig last weekend was one of their best performances of the season under Sandro Schwarz, who is unlikely to change his team after such a win. New star Ridle Baku is an option to start on Saturday once again after his sparkling debut against the Easterners. Leon Balogun is unlikely to be fit in time after missing training on Thursday, while Emil Bergreen and Danny Latza are also doubts and goalkeeper Rene Adler is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in training.
Probable line-ups
Dortmund: Weidenfeller – Piszczek, Sokratis, Toprak, Akanji – Weigl, Götze – Pulisic, Reus (c), Sancho - Philipp
Absentees: Zagadou (thigh), Rode (groin), Batshuayi (ankle)
Coach: Peter Stöger
Absentees: Zagadou (thigh), Rode (groin), Batshuayi (ankle)
Coach: Peter Stöger
Mainz: Zentner – Brosinski, Bell (c), Hack, Diallo – Serdar, Gbamin, Latza – Öztunali, Muto, De Blasis
Absentees: Balogun (rib), Bungert (thigh), Berggreen (match fitness), Adler (knee)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz
Absentees: Balogun (rib), Bungert (thigh), Berggreen (match fitness), Adler (knee)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz
Match stats
- Reus has scored 11 goals in 16 meetings with Mainz. Werder Bremen are the only other club against whom he enjoys such a prolific record.
- Maximilian Philipp is Dortmund’s leading scorer among currently active players with eight goals - two ahead of Reus.
- Dortmund have won their last three at home, scoring eight and conceding none.
- Andre Schürrle scored 20 goals in 66 Bundesliga appearances for Mainz, before joining Bayer Leverkusen in summer 2011.
- Yoshinori Muto is Mainz’s top scorer this season with seven goals in 25 Bundesliga appearances.
- The 05ers have only lost one of their last five (W2, D2)
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