Union Berlin vs FSV Mainz 05

Union Berlin have won their last four Bundesliga home games against 1. FSV Mainz 05, the longest such winning streak Union have managed against an opponent in the top-flight. Only against SC Freiburg (3W 3D) have Union played more home games in the top-flight without losing than against Mainz (4W 1D).

After three wins in a row, 1. FSV Mainz 05 recently lost again in the Bundesliga, but with 28 points FSV are still playing their second-best season in the top-flight - only in 2010-11 Mainz collected more points in a first half of the season (33). Mainz have never lost two league games in a row under manager Bo Henriksen (last in January/February 2024 under Jan Siewert).

1. FC Union Berlin are winless in 10 Bundesliga matches (3D 7L) - the longest active streak among the current Bundesliga clubs and a joint club negative record (also 10 at the end of 2023). This means that only in the previous Bundesliga season did Union pick up fewer points (14) than at present (17) after 17 matches.

1. FSV Mainz 05 have recently gone unbeaten twice at the start of the second half of the season (1W 1D), and Mainz also met Union Berlin (1-1 H) on matchday 18 in the previous season. Mainz have only gone three Bundesliga seasons in a row unbeaten at the start of the second half of the season from 2012-13 to 2014-15 (2W 1D).

Union Berlin can kick off the second half of the Bundesliga season at home for the first time. In all of their previous five Bundesliga seasons, Union won only once on matchday 18 (2D 2L), 2-0 in the city derby at Hertha in 2022-23. Union have also gone unbeaten in their last three second half of the season openers (1W 2D), while only Werder Bremen (6) and SC Freiburg (5) of the current Bundesliga teams have longer such runs.