Dortmund vs Mainz 05

The Bundesliga drama intensifies at the Signal Iduna Park this Friday, February 13, 2026, as Niko Kovač’s Borussia Dortmund hosts Urs Fischer’s Mainz 05. Kick-off is set for 19:30 UTC.

Dortmund (2nd, 45 points) is currently on a blistering 13-match unbeaten league run, having narrowed the gap to leaders Bayern Munich to just six points. Mainz (16th, 18 points), however, arrives with renewed hope; following a stunning upset of RB Leipzig and a win over Augsburg, the Nullfünfer have officially climbed out of the direct relegation zone and into the playoff spot.

Match Information

Borussia Dortmund: The Yellow Wall’s Title Charge

Under Niko Kovač, Dortmund has traded "heavy metal chaos" for "calculated efficiency." Their defense, once their Achilles' heel, has conceded only 19 goals all season—the second-best in the division. Despite a disappointing Champions League exit to Inter Milan recently, their domestic form remains near-flawless.

Team News and Selection:

• Captain Sidelined: Emre Can has suffered a fresh groin injury and is expected to be out until late February.

• Defensive Depth: With Filippo Mané also injured, 18-year-old Luca Reggiani may retain his place in the matchday squad after a potential debut against Wolfsburg.

• The Creative Engine: Julian Brandt leads the team in scoring and assists, while Serhou Guirassy remains the clinical focal point up front.

• Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Nmecha, Gross, Gittens; Adeyemi, Brandt; Guirassy.

Mainz 05: The Fischer Turnaround

Since Urs Fischer took the reins, Mainz has rediscovered the defensive grit that made his Union Berlin sides so difficult to beat. With back-to-back wins, including a Karneval-inspired 2–0 victory over Augsburg last weekend, they are no longer the "easy beats" of the Hinrunde.

Team News and Selection:

• Goalkeeping Crisis: Regular #1 Robin Zentner is sidelined with a groin injury, meaning Uwe Batz will likely continue between the posts.

• Karneval Momentum: Nadiem Amiri is in red-hot form, scoring both goals in the win over Augsburg.

• Injury List: Mainz is still without Anthony Caci, Armindo Sieb, and Benedict Hollerbach. However, new signing Sheraldo Becker is expected to be a major threat on the counter.

• Predicted XI (3-5-2): Batz; Posch, Bell, Kohr; da Costa, Amiri, Sano, Jae-sung Lee, Widmer; Tietz, Becker.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• Reverse Fixture: Dortmund secured a comfortable 2–0 win at the Mewa Arena in September 2025.

• Home Advantage: Dortmund has won 21 of their 33 all-time Bundesliga meetings against Mainz.

• Mainz’s Bogey Ground: Mainz has only won once at the Signal Iduna Park in their last five attempts.

• Defensive Form: Dortmund has kept three clean sheets in their last five league games.

Tactical Preview and Prediction

Dortmund will look to dominate possession and use Nico Schlotterbeck’s long-range passing to bypass Mainz’s disciplined mid-block. Mainz, conversely, will look to replicate the "Leipzig Blueprint"—defending deep and using the blistering pace of Sheraldo Becker to exploit the space behind Dortmund’s wing-backs.

While Mainz is playing their best football of the season, Dortmund's relentless pursuit of Bayern Munich and their superior individual quality should be enough to break down Fischer’s defense.

Final Score Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2–0 Mainz 05