German Bundesliga
2026-02-20 - Mainz vs Hamburger SV
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; Germany: Bundesliga
MEWA Arena – Mainz
Friday, 20th February 2026 - kickoff 20:30 CET
Mainz
Mainz’s three-match winning streak came to a brutal halt last week as they were beaten 4-0 by Borussia Dortmund.
That result exposed some ongoing defensive issues, especially in the air play. Incredibly, nine of the 11 goals Mainz allowed in 2026 have come from headers, with them conceding four header goals last week!
Despite that setback, Mainz have shown signs of life under coach Urs Fischer, with four wins, three draws, and two defeats in their last nine Bundesliga matches.
Mainz’s matches tend to be open and entertaining — over 2.5 goals have landed in six of their last seven Bundesliga games — and at home, they have shown they can take the initiative against mid-table rivals.
Mainz are currently on a run of three straight home wins in the Bundesliga.
Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV arrive in Mainz unbeaten in their last five Bundesliga matches (three draws, two wins), making them one of the in-form sides in the league’s second half of the season.
They are the only team, besides Borussia Dortmund, without a single defeat so far in 2026, climbing from the bottom to mid-table.
Hamburger SV extended that run with an impressive 3-2 comeback win over Union Berlin last weekend, bolstering their survival hopes and lifting them six points clear of the relegation zone and four points above Mainz.
HSV have scored at least two goals in each of their last three Bundesliga matches and have shown more attacking push recently, though their away wins remain rare — they have only won only once on the road all season.
Luka Vuskovic, who has been one of their more dangerous players this term (four goals), will miss out on this match through suspension.
The Betting Verdict
Hamburger SV demolished Mainz 4-0 in their first duel this season, but things have changed a lot since then. Mainz is better and tougher to break at home, and we should remember that Hamburger SV has only one away win this season, losing six of their ten away games.
This looks tricky to back either side. I can make a list of reasons to back either team, since both are playing really well lately.
Hamburger SV surprised me a lot. After holding Bayern Munich to a draw, they have won the last two, so their motivation and self-confidence are very high.
And points are important for both teams. Neither wants to lose, so we should expect an open match, given how their games have played out in the last few weeks.
This is one of the games where I am not going for a winner, but rather focus on goals.
Mainz have scored in five of their last six Bundesliga games, while Hamburger SV scored and conceded in all their last three. Both teams to score is the main play here.
The Pick :
Mainz 1-1 Hamburger SV
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take both teams to score: YES at odds of 1.70 with Bet365
