Strasbourg from Ligue 1 go welcome Bundesliga side Mainz 05 for Stade de la Meinau dis Thursday. Na second leg for Europa Conference League quarter-final. Le Racing dey fight to overturn 2-0 deficit wey dem carry from first leg. Mainz, wey dem dey call Die Nullfunfer, dey look for defensive solidity to protect dia lead.
Gary O’Neil don make Strasbourg tough to beat since e take over from Liam Rosenior for January. But e need to turn dat resilience to commanding victory. Le Racing enter first leg with 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions. Dem win Nantes 3-2 and beat Nice 3-1 before dat match. However, O’Neil side only win five matches during dat stretch. Since dem lose 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain for February start, dem only win six of 14 matches.
For home games, Strasbourg only win two of dia last five. Dat one dey discouraging for fans wey go dey ground. Dem draw 1-1 with Rijeka for second leg of round of 16 tie on March 19. Anoda problem na clean sheet. Strasbourg only manage three clean sheets for 2026. If dem no keep Mainz from scoring, dem need at least three goals to take tie enter extra time.
Mainz dey different story. Before Urs Fischer arrive for December, dem dey relegation battle. But Fischer don turn di club to serious threat for all fronts. Dem dey confident to reach dia first-ever European semi-final dis week. Die Nullfunfer enter first leg with unbeaten run wey include four straight wins. Dem beat Hoffenheim 2-1 on April 4 before downing Strasbourg 2-0 last Thursday.
Kaishu Sano and Stefan Posch score two goals for eight first-half minutes for first leg. Dat one give Fischer men lead to protect. Mainz keep four clean sheets across dia last seven outings, so dem feel capable. But Posch, Armindo Sieb and Strasbourg Diego Moreira get booked for heated exchange during second-half stoppage-time. Visitors go face intense atmosphere for away ground where momentum fit change quick.
Mainz also lose 1-0 to Freiburg at MEWA Arena on Sunday. Lucas Holer score di only goal. Dat na dia first loss since 4-0 thrashing by Borussia Dortmund for mid-February. E remain to see if dat defeat go affect dia performance.
Strasbourg go miss loanee centre-back Aaron Anselmino because of hamstring injury. Andrew Omobamidele and Ismael Doukoure go start at heart of defence. Junior Mwanga dey sidelined with shoulder injury. Maxi Oyedele, Samir El Mourabet and Valentin Barco go start for centre of park. Striker Joaquin Panichelli suffer anterior cruciate ligament injury last month. E no go play until 2026-27 campaign. Martial Godo fit start up top with Julio Enciso.
Mainz get plenty absentees for second leg. Defence dey especially light without goalkeeper Robin Zentner (groin). Centre-backs Stefan Bell (knee), Andreas Hanche-Olsen (muscle), Maxim Dal (knee) and Maxim Leitsch (muscle) all dey out. Fischer fit use back three of Danny da Costa, Stefan Posch and Dominik Kohr on Thursday. Trio go operate in front of shot-stopper Daniel Batz.
For midfield, Lee Jae-sung dey out with broken toe. Kaishu Sano, wey deliver man-of-the-match performance for first leg, go join Paul Nebel and Sota Kawasaki again. Forward Benedict Hollerbach and Silas go miss rest of season with Achilles and ankle injuries. Nelson Weiper and Phillip Tietz go start in partnership up front.
Strasbourg possible starting lineup: Penders; Doue, Doukoure, Omobamidele, Chilwell; El Mourabet, Oyedele, Barco; Yassine; Enciso, Godo. Mainz 05 possible starting lineup: Batz; Da Costa, Posch, Kohr; Widmer, Nebel, Sano, Kawasaki, Mwene; Weiper, Tietz.
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