Football betting tips: Bundesliga
1.75pts Over 10.5 corners at 6/4 (bet365)
0.75pt Over 12.5 corners at 7/2 (bet365)
A quick glance at the Bundesliga table will have you believe this should be a straightforward home win but be cautious for two main reasons.
The first of which is Mainz's form following the appointment of Urs Fischer in early December. They're undergone quite the transformation.
Defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach after 13 games left them rock bottom on six points with a single victory to their name - the gap to Wolfsburg in 15th stood at six.
Yet just one defeat in the eight which have followed - which includes a draw at Bayern Munich and an away win over Leipzig - has them 14th and two clear of the bottom three.
A side which looked dead and buried have stunned the funeral guests.
The second of those reasons if that, well, as I've said before, this is Borussia Dortmund. They don't do straightforward and simple. They have an amazing ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Niko Kovac's side have won their last five in the league and find themselves unbeaten in their previous 14 Bundesliga outings. In fact, Bayern are the only side to beat them in the league this season.
Can Mainz realistically become the second? I'd certainly give them a chance based on recent form but the hesitation on the home win involves the draw aspect too - this Mainz outfit has goals in them.
Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz
- Kick-off: Friday, 19:30 GMT
- TV: BBC iPlayer, Bundesliga YouTube
- Live odds, form and stats
Friday's have been largely disappointing in terms of goals this season. The Bundesliga is a notoriously high-scoring league but that hasn't translated across to the first game of the weekend.
This is another that, on paper at least, can deliver some entertainment though. Mainz have shown under current management that they have no fear in going to the top teams and trying to get something.
Goals are a short price but OVER 10.5 CORNERS is an interesting prospect at 6/4. It looks like a match-up which could favour this statistic.
Under Fischer, Mainz have taken 44 across their eight league outings. They also had five in the 2-0 win over Samsunspor in their final Conference League game.
It's not a great surprise when we consider how much they look to use their width. Just 21% of their attacks have been created through the middle of the pitch following the switch, with a more balanced approach to efforts down their left and right.
They were a high crossing team anyway and that has continued following the switch in the dugout. They sit fifth in Germany's top-flight for corners taken.
Mainz took four in that win over Leipzig, while the trip to Köln delivered five. They took the same amount in their European away day to Lech Poznan.
It's no surprise that Dortmund are in that top four for corners taken given their position in the table and they've taken at least five themselves in seven of their last eight in front of their own supporters.
There's also the potential game state which comes with this Mainz side. They took the lead early into the second-half over Leipzig while doing the same prior to 70 minutes against Bayern. Similar here will force Dortmund into more attacks.
Dortmund are another high-crossing side as they sit fifth in this metric. They're also averaging just shy of 15 shots per home game. High numbers in both of those categories should lead to corners.
And in case it goes a bit higher, a smaller stakes play on OVER 12.5 CORNERS is also taken at 7/2.
Odds correct at 11:45 GMT (11/02/26)
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