Mainz 05 vs Anderlecht predictions, betting tips & match preview

These two are just two points clear of Saint Etienne after two matches, so they’ve got a long way to go before they’re through. While both Mainz and Anderlecht have made good starts, they do have some defensive worries ahead of this game. Will their problems at the back cost them points here?

Mainz come in to this game with a pretty impressive attack, having scored nine goals in their last four home matches in all competitions. However, their issues defensively have ruined what could have been a strong record at OPEL Arena. They’ve conceded nine goals in those four games, leaving them with just one win, two draws and a defeat. Anderlecht should really fancy their chances of scoring.

Of course, the Belgians need to watch out for that strong attack. Mainz have averaged 2.67 goals a game at home in the Bundesliga, while they’ve conceded the same number. Their average number of goals per match is 5.33 across those games. They clearly enjoy a pretty open approach, at least in the early stages of the campaign.

They’ll need to be wary, as Anderlecht are showing some strong scoring form of their own. They’ve found the net 1.4 times per game in league away games, while they’ve racked up 19 goals in their 10 league matches so far. You’d expect them to get some joy against this Mainz defence, given that they’ve conceded from 13% of the shots they’ve faced in the Europa League this season.

The Germans do have a fantastic strike rate domestically, scoring from 23% of the chances they create in the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, they’ve averaged 16 shots against them in home league games, 16% of which found the back of the net.

We’re backing Anderlecht to control a lot of this game. The Belgian side are averaging 56% possession in the Europa League so far, a figure well above Mainz. The hosts had just 43% of possession in their last European contest at the OPEL Arena, a 1-1 draw with Saint Etienne. The visitors have made almost 200 more passes per match than their opponents, and we’re backing the Belgians to dominate the ball here. If they do, expect to see a few goals from the away side.

Given that both teams have scored and conceded in all their Europa League games this term, we’re backing goals in this one. Despite both sides havomg an incredibly leaky defence this season, both teams to score here is priced at 3/4 with bet365. That looks like fantastic value, as it’s hard to see either of these two pulling off a clean sheet any time soon.