Nikolche Noveski will start for Mainz on Saturday if he can shake off a shin injury that he sustained in training earlier this week.

Mainz is currently facing an injury crisis heading into Saturday’s home game against Bayer Leverkusen. The position most affected is center-back where Noveski, Niko Bungert and Gonzalo Jara are all dealing with injuries. Of those three players, Noveski’s injury is considered the least serious.

On Tuesday, Noveski suffered a cut to his shin after a duel with another player in training. He felt sharp pain, but nothing is broken. He simply has been advised to rest, but the shin is very painful. Still, Noveski is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game, while Bungert and Jara have already been ruled out.

Since Bungert, a regular starter at CB, and Jara, the third CB on the team, will miss the Bayer Leverkusen game, Noveski will be given first dibs to partner Stefan Bell in central defense. If Noveski can’t go, then Junior Diaz will partner Bell.

That was also confirmed by Mainz manager Martin Schmidt during a press conference. Noveski is a tough guy who badly wants to play since he has received few opportunities this season, so we believe Nikolche will do everything to make himself available on Saturday. He will not want to pass on this opportunity, regardless of how much pain his left shin gives him.

UPDATE: Noveski made the bench for Mainz, but he was an unused substitute. The Mainz manager concluded that a healthy Junior Diaz was a better option than a hobbled Nikolche Noveski (shin injury). The manager said Noveski would get first dibs in his pre-game press conference, but it appears he had a change of heart. Mainz lost 3:2 against Bayer Leverkusen.