Gladbach eager to bounce back against faltering Mainz
Borussia Mönchengladbach will be looking to bounce straight back from last weekend's defeat to Borussia Dortmund by venting their frustration on 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Friday night (kick-off 20:30CET/19:30GMT).
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Andre Schubert's charges were undone by a clinical BVB side on Matchday 18, but can take heart from the numerous opportunities they managed to carve out. A repeat display in Mainz, coupled with the tightening of some screws at the back, would give the hosts an uncomfortable evening at the Coface Arena.
The home team also slipped to defeat last week and need their much-vaunted attackers Yoshinori Muto, Yunus Malli and Jairo Samperio to click into gear once again if they are to maintain a push for the European places.
History
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Matchday 2 rewind: Gladbach 1-2 Mainz
Goals: 0-1 Samperio (42'), 1-1 Herrmann (54'), 1-2 Clemens (79')
Matchday 19 - match facts
- Gladbach have already lost seven Bundesliga games this season, one more than in the entire 2014/15 campaign.Friday night curse? The Foals have lost four of the last five league matches they have played on a Friday evening, drawing the other. Mainz are unbeaten in their last three games at home, taking seven of a possible nine points. Gladbach's defeat to Mainz in the Hinrunde was their only loss in their last nine meetings with the 05ers.Gladbach midfielder Jonas Hofmann was on loan at Mainz last season and even scored against the Foals, but only played ten games for the 05ers due to injury.
Possible line-ups
Mainz: Karius - Brosinski, Balogun, Bell, Bengtsson - Baumgartlinger, Latza - De Blasis, Malli, Jairo - Muto
Absentees: Soto (light training)
Gladbach: Sommer - Korb, Christensen, Hinteregger, Wendt - Schulz, Nordtveit - Traore, Johnson - Stindl - Raffael
Absentees: Dominguez (back), Jantschke (knee), Dahoud (hand), Herrmann (knee), Schulz (knee), Hahn (leg), Granit Xhaka (suspended)
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