The Best Crossing Teams Go Head to Head

Three weeks of international football are over, and Matchday 5 of the Bundesliga is just around the corner. On Saturday, Mainz 05 welcome Bayer 04 Leverkusen to the MEWA ARENA (kick-off at 3:30 pm CEST, live on Sky, DAZN and 05ER.fm). Mainz, managed by Urs Fischer, sit sixth in the table and are level on points with Leverkusen, who are one place higher under their new head coach, Carles Martínez.

Facts and Figures Ahead of #M05B04

A Strong Start

Mainz 05 are one of five Bundesliga teams to have collected seven points after four matchdays, with only three clubs having earned more. It is the FSV’s best points tally at this stage of the season in four years.

Two Different Sides

Away from home, Mainz have been unbeaten since February. In their last eight Bundesliga away games, Urs Fischer’s side have recorded six wins and two draws. At the MEWA ARENA, however, the FSV have gone five games without a win, recording one draw and four defeats. They were held to a goalless draw by newly promoted SC Paderborn before suffering a 3–1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

A Battle of the Crosses

No team has delivered more open-play crosses than Leverkusen so far this season, and no side has scored more goals from crosses. Mainz rank second in both categories. However, both defences have been equally impressive: the FSV have yet to concede from an open-play cross, a corner or a header, while Leverkusen have allowed the fewest crosses in the league.

Our Opponents: A Closer Look

Tietz on Target

Phillip Tietz has already scored four goals in the first four matchdays. His clinical finishing is reflected in his impressive conversion rate, with the striker currently averaging 2.3 expected goals (xG). Bayer Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick is also in good form, having scored four goals, the same tally as Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Yuito Suzuki (SC Freiburg) and Younes Ebnoutalib (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Becker Shines

No other player in the Bundesliga has contributed more than Sheraldo Becker’s three assists and five goal contributions. In the 2025/26 season, he scored three goals and provided three assists in 14 appearances for Mainz.

A Tough Nut to Crack

The head-to-head record favours Leverkusen. In 40 Bundesliga meetings, Mainz have won 12 times, seven matches have ended in a draw and the Werkself have claimed 21 victories. The FSV have also struggled at home, winning just seven of their 20 home games against Leverkusen. In their last ten meetings, Mainz have managed only two wins.

Players Who Have Represented Both Mainz and Bayer 04: Mainz playmaker Nadiem Amiri wore the Bayer Leverkusen shirt from 2019 to 2024, with a spell in Genoa in between. Current Mainz squad members Dominik Kohr and Danny da Costa have also played for Leverkusen. Other notable players to have represented both clubs include André Schürrle, Julian Baumgartlinger, Jonas Hofmann, Manuel Friedrich, Andrey Voronin, Dimo Wache, Robert Nikolic, Levin Öztunali and Giulio Donati.

The Match Officials: Dr Max Burda (referee), Sascha Thielert (assistant referee), Julius Martenstein (assistant referee), Dr Robin Braun (fourth official), Pascal Müller (VAR) and Christian Fischer (assistant VAR).