Urs Fischer wary of challenge as Mainz prepares to visit Hamburg.

Hamburger SV vs. Mainz kicks off at 14:30 [GMT+1] on Sunday, September 6, at the Volksparkstadion. Hamburger SV have recorded three victories in their last six matches across all competitions, while Mainz arrive on a run of three consecutive away wins. The head-to-head record has produced several closely fought encounters, with three of the previous six meetings between Hamburger SV and Mainz ending in draws. That suggests another competitive contest could be in store, despite the contrasting away and home trends surrounding the fixture. Hamburger SV's home form, however, has been less convincing. They have managed just one victory in their last six Bundesliga matches at Volksparkstadion. That record will be a concern against a Mainz side that has been particularly strong away from home. There is, however, an interesting statistic working in Hamburger SV's favour. Mainz have failed to score in each of their last three Bundesliga away games against Hamburger. The visitors therefore face the challenge of maintaining their excellent current away form while breaking a scoring drought in this particular fixture. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Patson Daka in attack is expected against Mainz.

Mainz are unbeaten in their last six Bundesliga away matches, while they have avoided defeat in eight of their last nine away encounters across all competitions. Their current momentum on the road is further underlined by three consecutive away victories. In each of those three matches, Mainz have been ahead both at half-time and full-time, highlighting their ability to establish control when playing away. In 2026, only FC Bayern Munich have picked up more points away from home than FSV. Eighteen points from ten away matches underline Mainz 05’s strength on the road, away from the MEWA ARENA. Nevertheless, head coach Urs Fischer is wary of the challenge ahead. “We have nothing to make up for. It’s a new season. But you can take a lot from that 4-0 defeat back then. Hamburg are a team with a lot of intensity but also individual quality. They have a clear idea of how they want to play, and they move the ball forward quickly towards the defensive line,” he said in a pre-match press conference. “They have pace and repeatedly try to draw the opposition in. It is an exciting challenge that will demand everything from us. We have to do a lot of things well and get them right,” he added. A 3—5—2 formation with Phillip Tietz and Sheraldo Becker in attack is expected against the home side. Dominik Kohr suffered an injury against Paderborn and will miss Sunday’s trip to the Volksparkstadion.