Martinez targets first away win as Leverkusen head to Mainz

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Carles Martinez has set his sights on a first Bundesliga away win of the 2026-27 season when his fifth-placed side travel to Mainz on Saturday.

Leverkusen lost their league opener 3-2 away to newly promoted Elversberg but have gone unbeaten since, taking two wins and a draw from the following three matches. Both victories – achieved with clean sheets – came at the BayArena, while the stalemate was earned on the road at Augsburg.

And despite that healthy return, Martinez knows how important it is to get points on the board away from home sooner rather than later.

"Mainz are a good team; we're a good team. We're determined to improve our away record and come away with three points," Martinez said.

"[Saturday's] match is an important one. I want to see my team put in the same performance they did against RB Leipzig [a 2-0 home win]."

That Leipzig victory, secured before the international break, came after Martinez had insisted his players were all "pulling in the same direction" despite an up-and-down start to the campaign, with the coach believing his side deserved more points than they had at that stage.

Injuries pile up after the break

Martinez has several fitness concerns to contend with following the extended international break, with Ibrahim Maza, Kennet Eichhorn and Guela Doue all set to miss the trip to Mainz.

"He's [Maza] better. We have to check in training and then decide whether he's ready," Martinez said of Maza before turning to the other injury concerns.

"Guela is working on his comeback; it's still taking some time. However, the process is going well, as planned.

"We're in touch with Kennet; we speak regularly, including about football in general. Despite his absence, he wants to feel part of the team, and that's what we're aiming for as well."

Mainz still searching for home comfort

Mainz sit level on points with Leverkusen, behind their opponents only on goal difference, and are enjoying their best Bundesliga start in seven years having collected seven points from four matches – matching their haul from 2022-23.

Unlike Martinez's side, however, their joy has come on the road: they are yet to win at home this season, following a draw with Paderborn and a 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. That drought stretches further back, too – Mainz have failed to win any of their last five Bundesliga home games, losing four, and among current top-flight clubs only Eintracht Frankfurt (six) are on a longer winless run on home soil.

Players to watch

Philipp Tietz (Mainz)

Tietz has scored in three consecutive Bundesliga matches, a feat he had previously only achieved for Augsburg in October and November 2023. He is also the first Mainz player to score four goals across the first four matchdays of a Bundesliga season since Shinji Okazaki in 2014-15.

Patrik Schick (Leverkusen)

Schick has scored in each of the first four matchdays of a Bundesliga season for the first time in his career, taking his early tally to four goals. He could now become only the third player to score in each of the opening five matchdays for Leverkusen, following Stefan Kiessling in 2009-10 and Dimitar Berbatov in 2005-06 – both of whom managed five goals across those runs. Netting in five consecutive Bundesliga matches would also be a first for the Czechia international.

History points to Leverkusen

• Mainz have won only two of their last 17 Bundesliga meetings with Leverkusen (D3 L12) and are winless against them in the top flight since a 3-2 away victory in February 2023.
• Across their last six league meetings, Mainz have picked up fewer points against Leverkusen (two) than against any other current Bundesliga side.
• Leverkusen have won their last two matches in all competitions and could now secure three consecutive victories for the first time since January and February, when they won four in a row.
• Leverkusen have scored at least twice in all six matches under Martinez in all competitions.

Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen win

The Opta supercomputer makes Leverkusen marginal favourites for Saturday's meeting at 42.6%, with Mainz given a 32.8% chance of victory and the draw rated at 24.6%.