As the only top-six club to play on Sunday, RB Leipzig visited Mainz at an empty Opel Arena on the 27thmatchday of the Bundesliga season. The previous matchup between these two sides resulted in a dominant 8-0 thrashing in favour of Leipzig, including a Timo Werner hat-trick. Both Mainz and Leipzig had recently drew their matches last week against Köln and Freiburg respectively. This tactical analysis discusses the strategies of both teams and explains how Leipzig were able to yet again control the contest from the outset.
Lineups
Mainz began in a defensive-minded 5-4-1 setup that turned into a 3-4-3 in attack. Manager Achim Beierlorzer started a back five consisting of Ridle Baku, Jeremiah St. Juste, Jeffrey Bruma, Moussa Niakhaté, and Aarón Martín. The midfield line was shaped by Jean-Paul Boëtius, Edimilson Fernandes, Pierre Kunde, and Robin Quaison. Striker Karim Onisiwo started up top. Quaison is having his most prolific Bundesliga season yet, leading Mainz with 12 goals no other teammate has more than four.
Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann organised his starting lineup in a typically flexible 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 formation with high defensive and pressing lines. Because of these positional intentions, he opted to only start one true centre-back, as Konrad Laimer, Lukas Klostermann, and Marcel Halstenberg started beside Dayot Upamecano. Dani Olmo, Marcel Sabitzer, Kevin Kampl, and Christopher Nkunku formed the midfield four. The complementary duo of Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen completed the starting eleven as a front two.
