Mainz 05 vs Sigma Olomouc: Prediction, Team News, and Lineups Preview

The round of 16 tie in the Conference League is finely poised after a 0-0 first leg. Mainz 05 host Sigma Olomouc at the Mewa Arena on Thursday. Both teams produced cautious displays in the opening match.

Form and context

Mainz have shown defensive resilience recently. They kept their first clean sheet in five games in the first leg and followed that with a 2-0 win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.

The hosts have suffered just two defeats in their last 16 matches. They are unbeaten in five, though four of those were draws. Mainz have scored six goals across that unbeaten run.

The club face domestic pressure. They sit just three points and three places above the relegation zone in the Bundesliga. Their home form is a positive, with seven unbeaten matches at Mewa Arena, five of them wins.

Sigma Olomouc outlook

Sigma produced only one shot on target in the first leg. That effort came from distance. They did well to restrict Mainz to two shots on target.

The Czech side had been scoring consistently in the Conference League. Their first-leg clean sheet was their first in nine matches in the competition this season. This is their first appearance in the knockout rounds of a European tournament since 2004-05.

Sigma arrive in decent form in all competitions. They won four and drew three of their last seven matches. In four of those games they scored at least twice.

Away record and European experience

Sigma’s away results in the Conference League are mixed. They have won two and lost two of their last four away fixtures in the competition. Their limited knockout-stage experience could be decisive in a tight tie.

Team news

Mainz will be without centre-backs Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Stefan Bell. Manager Urs Fischer is expected to reshuffle his defence. Danny da Costa, Stefan Posch and Dominik Kohr are the likely options.

Nadiem Amiri is sidelined with a heel issue. That reduces midfield choices. Paul Nebel, Kaishu Sano and Jae-Sung Lee may be called upon again.

For Sigma, Jan Kral is ruled out through injury. The visitors are likely to use a back three. Abdoulaye Sylla, Filip Slavicek and Jakub Elbel are expected to start.

Lineups Preview

This article contains a prediction, team news and a lineups preview ahead of Mainz 05’s home leg against Sigma Olomouc. Forward Vaclav Sejk will lead the line for Sigma.

Prediction

Filmogaz.com expects a narrow home win. Mainz hold the advantage by hosting the second leg. The forecast score is 1-0 to Mainz, sending them through 1-0 on aggregate.