Schalke 04 will be eager to get back to winning ways on Friday when they make the trip to Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga.
Roberto Di Matteo's side have struggled for form in recent weeks thanks to a five-game winless run. Meanwhile, Mainz are in need of the points to ease their relegation concerns.
Mainz
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Despite losing just one of their last six games in the league, Mainz are still not safe from being dragged into the battle for survival.
Martin Schmidt's side are currently in 11th position in the table, but they remain just seven points clear of the relegation playoff place.
They are also in for an interesting run-in against the likes of Hamburger SV, Stuttgart and Bayern Munich.
Schmidt will be keen to end the campaign strongly after recently signing a three-year contract extension with the club. The Swiss took charge of the team in February following the sacking of Kasper Hjulmand. So far he has won three of his eight matches at the helm.
Mainz's last victory came at the weekend as they earned a nervy 3-2 victory over Freiburg. Shinji Okazaki scored twice at the Schwarzwald-Stadion to help the visitors leave with three important points.
Okazaki is the club's top scorer this season having found the net on 12 occasions in all competitions. However, a struggle for goals elsewhere have seen the team stay precariously above the drop zone.
Recent form: DWDDLW
Schalke
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Schalke have endured a tough few weeks in the Bundesliga due to a winless run that has lasted five matches.
Roberto Di Matteo's men have slipped down to fifth place in the standings since March, leaving them 12 points adrift of the Champions League spots.
Their last outing saw them draw 1-1 at high-flying Wolfsburg after a late goal from Kevin De Bruyne denied them what would have been an impressive victory at the Volkswagen Area.
Schalke boast the fifth-best defensive record in the top flight, conceding just 32 times in the 29 matches so far. They have also kept nine clean sheets in the process.
However, it is in attack where they have found life difficult, particularly in their last few games. They have found the net once in their previous four fixtures, which has seen them take three points from a possible 12.
Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar have led the line admirably for the team during the current campaign, but the pair have seen their influence fade over the past month. With their hopes of reaching the Champions League all but over, Schalke will not want to let a spot in the Europa League slip through their hands over the coming weeks.
Recent form: WDLDDD
Recent form (all competitions): WDLDDD
Team News
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Schalke could welcome back former Mainz striker Choupo-Moting after the Cameroon international missed the team's draw with Wolfsburg through illness.
Matija Nastasic, Jan Kirchoff and Christian Fuchs may also be available for the visitors following spells on the sidelines.
Christian Clemens has recovered from a groin injury for the home side, while Niko Bungert and Stefan Bell could be back in contention after calf and back problems respectively.
Mainz possible starting lineup:
Karius; Brosinski, Noveski, Diaz, Joo-Ho Park; Geis, Baumgartlinger; Jairo Samperio, Malli, Bengtsson; Okazaki
Schalke possible starting lineup:
Fahrmann; Fuchs, Matip, Howedes, Kolasinac; Aogo, Neustadter; Farfan, Sane, Meyer; Huntelaar
Head To Head
Schalke ran out overwhelming 4-1 winners when the sides met in this season's reverse fixture at the Veltins-Arena, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar stealing the show thanks to a hat-trick.
The Royals Blues have the superior record when it comes to overall past meetings as well, winning nine matches compared to five victories for Mainz. Meanwhile, a total of four draws have been played out between them.
We say: Mainz 1-2 Schalke
Coming off the back of their victory over Freiburg, Mainz will be confident of getting a positive result. However, Schalke's need to end their current malaise could see them leave the Coface Arena with the spoils. The visitors have been in undoubtedly poor form over the past few weeks, but they still have enough talent in their squad to see them through.
Jack Prescott
