It's a deserved win for Wolfsburg, who ran riot in the first half and effectively put the match to bed before the interval. Mainz improved after the break, but the damage was already done by then. The result lifts the Wolves to 37 points, just two behind today's opponents. Both surely now are safe from relegation.

The ball is rolling once more. Mainz boss Svensson has shown his displeasure with his team's first-half display by making four changes at the break.

Wolfsburg boss Kohfeldt demanded a reaction from his players following the heavy defeat in Dortmund last week - and boy has he got one. The sending off has not helped Mainz's cause, but the Wolves have been ruthless in front of goal. Barring a miraculous comeback in the second half, this win would take the home side up to 11th place on 37 points, eight clear of Stuttgart in the relegation play-off spot. They wouldn't be mathematically safe yet, but very nearly there.

There's been lots of high balls, midfield tackles and throw-ins so far as the teams seek to set the tone early on.

Wolfsburg get the ball rolling on Matchday 31!

Wolfsburg boss Florian Kohfeldt has not made wholesale changes in the wake of his side's 6-1 humbling in Dortmund last week. Indeed, there is only one new face, as Jerome Roussillon replaces the suspended Maxence Lacroix. That could mean the Wolves switch from a three-man defence to a back four, with Roussillon on the left and Baku on the right.

Head coach Bo Svensson has made two changes to his team following last week's goalless draw against Stuttgart. Marcus Ingvartsen gets the nod ahead of Karim Onisiwo up front alongside Jonathan Burkardt; Onisiwo is given a breather after starting every game since Matchday 6. In midfield, Dominik Kohr begins among the substitutes, with Leandro Barreiro taking his place in the side.

Casteels (c) - Baku, Bornauw, Brooks, Roussillon - Schlager, Arnold, Gerhardt - Wind, Kruse - L. Nmecha

Pervan, Mbabu, Vranckx, Steffen, F. Nmecha, Paredes, Philipp, Bialek, Lukebakio

Zentner - Tauer, Bell, Niakhate (c) - Widmer, Stach, Barreiro, Lucoqui - Boetius - Ingvartsen, Burkardt

Dahmen, Martin, Brosinski, Nemeth, Hack, Stöger, Papela, Kohr, Onisiwo

“Mainz have been on a great path for the last year and play with great intensity and physicality," said Florian Kohfeldt at his media briefing ahead of the game. "They’ve done brilliantly to steer clear of the relegation battles they had in recent years, and have carried on their momentum this season. We’re going up against a team who aggressively defend on the front foot and are very good with the ball in transition, while they’ve got a lot of power up front. We will have to compete with that and we will.”

Mainz head coach Bo Svensson is wary of facing Wolfsburg today, despite some inconsistent form of late. "You just have to look at their squad," he said at his pre-match press conference. "They have enormous quality, but they haven't quite lived up to expectations this season. However, they play good football and are a capable team, so it will be a tough test."

Mainz's victory earlier this season was their second in succession over the Wolves, having also triumphed 3-2 at the Volkswagen Arena at the end of last term. Overall, however, Mainz have taken maximum points just eight times from 31 games against Wolfsburg, who have won on 12 occasions (11 draws).

Mainz can reach the mythical 40-point mark today with a draw, the milestone that traditionally guarantees Bundesliga survival. They're in ninth place going into the weekend at any rate, so relegation is not an imminent threat. It is more of a worry for Wolfsburg though, who are in 13th place on 34 points, just six above the relegation play-off spot. Victory would go a long way to giving them some much-needed breathing space in the final few games of the season.

Thanks for joining us for the Matchday 31 opener. We'll have live build-up and match coverage throughout, so don't go anywhere!