Mainz vs Samsunspor Prediction 18.12.2025 | UEFA Conference League

Unable to uncover the right formula to lift the club off the foot of the table, the hierarchy finally ran out of patience and relieved Bo Henriksen of his duties, turning instead to seasoned tactician Urs Fischer to steady the ship.

Under the guidance of the 59-year-old Swiss strategist, Mainz 05 have begun to show genuine signs of revival, none more striking than last weekend’s performance, when they became only the second side this Bundesliga season to take points off Bayern Munich, grinding out a courageous 2-2 draw at the iconic Allianz Arena.

That hard-earned point injected a much-needed surge of belief into the squad, and Mainz will now look to build on that momentum as they attempt to snap an uncomfortable seven-game winless streak across all competitions (D3, L4). A victory on Thursday would not only end that drought, but also secure direct passage into the last-16 of UEFA’s third-tier competition, adding further significance to the occasion.

Team news, however, remains less encouraging. First-choice goalkeeper Robin Zentner is sidelined with an adductor issue, while the influential trio of Maxim Leitsch, Anthony Caci, and Nadiem Amiri continue their recovery spells. To compound matters, Nikolas Veratschnig will miss out through suspension, leaving Fischer with several selection headaches ahead of a potentially defining night.

fter a fairytale beginning that saw them sweep aside their opening three league-phase challenges, it initially appeared as though Samsunspor were cruising toward a last-16 berth in their maiden UEFA Conference League campaign. However, the tide has since turned, leaving the Turkish side with unfinished business heading into the final 90 minutes of the group stage.

In a rollercoaster encounter on matchday four, the Red Lightning surrendered control and had to settle for a breathless 2-2 draw away at Breidablik, a setback that was followed by a narrow 2-1 home defeat to Greek outfit AEK — a particularly bitter blow given that Samsunspor had struck first. Those results have cast real doubt over their prospects of finishing inside the top eight.

Worryingly, their struggles have not been confined to the European stage. A two-goal defeat to Basaksehir in domestic action last weekend extended their winless run to six matches across all competitions and stretched their losing streak to three, meaning they approach the final matchday of the league phase low on confidence and momentum.

On the personnel front, Tanguy Coulibaly is making encouraging progress in his long recovery from a knee injury, but this fixture appears to have come too soon for his return. He is joined on the sidelines by six other absentees, leaving Samsunspor stretched as they prepare for a decisive showdown.