FSV have only managed one win in the current Bundesliga season so far, enduring four draws and sevenlosses since that 4-1 over Augsburg on the fourth matchday. With eight points from 15 matches, Mainz are currently sat at the bottom of the table, six points away from 15th place and safety.

One thing that hasnot helped their form has been the rash of expulsions. In the Bundesliga alone, the mainz defence has beeen in a semi-permanent state of reshuffle, following five red cards. Even regular goalkeeper Robin Zentner missed two matches as a result of his dismissal.

But they are also struggling up front. From a total of 157 shots, only 13 have resulted in goals - both figures are the worst in the league. Help is expected from the recently signed forwards Phillip Tietz and Silas, who should invigorate the Mainz attack. Another bright spot is in the air, where they have won the second most duels in the league. However, the leader of this statistic are Saturday's hosts, Union, with  358 won.

Union and Mainz have faced each other 18 times. Union have won eight, Mainz five, and there have been five draws. If you only count the twelve Bundesliga encounters against each other, the record is even clearer: Union have emerged victorious seven times, with four draws and just thhe solitary one win for Mainz.

For Mainz's Benedict Hollerbach, the encounter on Saturday will mean a meeting with old acquaintances. In the two seasons before last, the forward scored 14 times and set up five assists for 1. FC Union Berlin. His current teammate Lennard Maloney went through all the youth stages at Union from 2012 to 2020 before moving from Berlin to Dortmund and Heidenheim, and finally to Mainz.

But it's not only on the pitch; Saturday will also see a reunion with familiar faces on the touchline. Urs Fischer was head coach at Union for over half a decade and led them not only into the German top flight but also the UEFA Champions League in 2023. His assistant coach Markus Hoffmann was by Fischer's side in all 224 gamees, with video analyst Sebastian Podsiadly supporting them ably for more than three years. 
 
Both the Mainz coaching staff and Hollerbach will be properly welcomed at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday, but there will be no official farewell due to respect for the sporting situation the guests find themselves in.

Union's head coach Steffen Baumgart and his coaching team will have to do without Tom Rothe, Robert Skov, Dmytro Bogdanov, and Tim Skarke on Saturday.

“We are well prepared and ready," said Union head coach, Steffen Baumgart, during his press conference on Thursday afternoon. "The friendly in Aue was very important for that. Now we are looking forward to having two more opportunities to pick up points in the first half of the season, so we are highly motivated. Mainz has always been robust and hardworking in the past, and with Urs they now have the right coach for that. They will certainly continue to bring their aggression onto the pitch. Therefore, we need to embrace the game to give the opponent the best challenge possible.”

Mainz coach, Fischer, had this to say meanwhile: "We are preparing for a team with a clear structure that are very organized and solid on the pitch. Transition play and set pieces are core elements of Union’s game, and we need to stand up to that. I would like to take the three points back to Mainz, and I think I need to set aside the nostalgia a bit for the 90 minutes and focus completely on my tasks.“

As usual, the Stadion An der Alten Försterei opens two hours before kick off, the match is sold out in both the home and away areas. Due to the weather conditions, 1. FC Union Berlin asks all guests to be cautious on thheir way to and from the stadium.

There are still extensive disruptions to public transport, and arrival via the tram lines "Altstadt Köpenick" is only possible with the replacement bus service. Hämmerlingstraße is still closed to through traffic. Therefore, all visitors are recommended to arrive early.