Bundesliga October 17 Preview: Union Berlin vs Dortmund & Schalke vs Mainz | Predictions
Bundesliga Matchday 6 brings two interesting fixtures for Indian football fans as Borussia Dortmund travel to Union Berlin, while Schalke 04 host Mainz 05 at the Veltins-Arena.
Union Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund have enjoyed a perfect start to the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. Niko Kovač's side have won all four league matches, scoring nine goals and conceding only two, leaving them top of the table with 12 points.
Their latest victory was a hard-fought 1-0 win over Stuttgart, with Maximilian Beier scoring the decisive goal. Dortmund have shown that they can win both open attacking matches and tighter contests this season.
Union Berlin have had a completely different start. They are 17th with only one point from four matches, scoring four and conceding 17. Their latest league game ended in a heavy 7-0 defeat against Bayern Munich.
Union will have home advantage, but Dortmund's current balance in attack and defence gives the visitors a clear edge.
Prediction: Union Berlin 1-3 Borussia Dortmund
Match Tip: Borussia Dortmund to win
Schalke 04 vs Mainz 05
This should be a much closer contest.
Newly promoted Schalke have collected five points from four matches, with one win, two draws and one defeat. Their defence has been particularly encouraging, conceding only four goals so far.
Schalke have already shown they can compete at this level. They held Bayern Munich to a goalless draw before beating Union Berlin 3-1 away, with Robin Gosens, Adil Aouchiche and Maximilian Wöber on the scoresheet.
Mainz currently sit sixth with seven points and 10 goals scored. Their latest Bundesliga match was an entertaining 4-3 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach, highlighting their attacking threat but also some defensive vulnerability.
Schalke's home advantage and defensive organisation could make this difficult for Mainz, so a tight match looks likely.
Prediction: Schalke 04 1-1 Mainz 05
Match Tip: Schalke 04 to avoid defeat