Record from the VfB view-point:
Total: 21 games, 9 wins, 6 draws, 6 defeats, 33:29 goal-difference
Home: 11 games, 7 wins, 2 draws, 2 defeats, 22:13 goal-difference
Away: 10 games, 2 wins, 4 draws, 4 defeats, 11:16 goal-difference
Support
The eleven from Hannes Wolf can expect the backing for some 3,500 travelling VfB fans in Mainz. The visitor’s allotment of tickets is completely sold out.
Looking back
In their first home game of the campaign back in August, VfB played host to 1. FSV Mainz 05. In his starting eleven debut, Holger Badstuber was on target to earn the hosts a 1-0 win.
Shortly before Christmas, VfB travelled to Mainz in the DFB-Cup ‘Round of 16’, at wish stage the Cannstatt Boys crashed out on the receiving end of a 1-3 defeat.
Mini-anniversary
Daniel Ginczek could make his 50th Bundesliga appearance on Saturday. The striker has made 32 of those appearances in the jersey with the infamous red hoop.
Defensive strength
21 goals conceded after 18 match-days is the best defensive record boasted by VfB after that number of games since the 2005/2006 season – then they’d conceded 18 goals after 18 matches.
Historical
The first Bundesliga clash between the two clubs was won 4-2 by the Cannstatt Boys back in August 2004. Cacau put the Wasenelf on track for the win with a hat-trick.