analysis
The misery at Mainz 05 is getting worse: five national defeats in a row. Now the end of the DFB Cup. On the pitch, the FSV acts tensely to the point of desperation. The reasons are varied.
The frustration after the cup exit was great. But it was also visible and noticeable during the game against VfB Stuttgart. There was a lot of gesticulation and discussion. On the other hand, things were rarely focused and concentrated. A constant topic at the FSV at the moment, where there is a huge crunch.
And like a pattern of a negative spiral, it is always the same problems that the Rheinhessen have to contend with: coordination problems between parts of the team, a harmless and unimaginative offense, a midfield that doesn’t do much at all and an error-prone defensive line. All of this has been punished mercilessly in recent weeks. This became particularly clear in the “VfB double pack”. To cite the previous triple burden of league, cup and conference league as the reason for the ongoing misery would be too simple and not accurate.
Mental, tense, desperate
Mainz has completely lost the flow, the lightness and the naturalness in the game compared to last season. Bo Henriksen’s team tries a lot, but too often these attempts go wrong. Every 05 professional is currently carrying a heavy backpack and seems to be blocked in their heads. Wrong decisions are made, insecurities creep in, self-confidence is gone. This is particularly evident in our own stadium this season. At home, FSV is still without any points and didn’t even score a goal until the seventh matchday.
Since the entire team is affected by this misery, it becomes even more complicated to find solutions to get out of this depression. The last five defeats in the Bundesliga and DFB Cup reinforce the picture. 05 coach Henriksen repeatedly appeals to the 05 virtues and tries to persuade the players, but at the moment he hardly seems to be getting through. It is all the more astonishing that the 05ers are in tenth place in the so-called expected points table. For the current crisis, with just four points (one win, one draw), a surprising value.
The new ones don’t “fire”.
That the Departure of striker Jonny Burkardt It was foreseeable that a big gap would be left in the 05 offensive. The New Frankfurt native contributed 18 goals to his euphoric last season, finishing sixth in the table. New signing Benedict Hollerbachthe royal transfer with a transfer fee of ten million euros, does not apply. The 24-year-old was injured for a while, but even after his comeback, the ex-Union player didn’t record a goal contribution despite eight games.
There were no other transfer goals for FSV either. William Böving has tried hard in his previous appearances, but was infected by the current mood of his teammates. The other transfers mainly play in the U23, in the regional league. In addition, the key players in the Mainz game are completely out of step. Kaishu Sano makes an unusually large number of mistakes, Nadiem Amiri is more noticeable with skirmishes with opposing fans or opponents than as a driver of the offensive. Paul Nebel, Dominik Kohr and Danny da Costa are looking for their form from the previous season.
Peace and caci are (still) the ones Glimmer of hope
Despite the sporting crisis and the frustration that has built up over the last few weeks, there is currently still calm on Mainzer Bruchweg. No whistle from the 05 fans after the cup loss against Stuttgart, but encouraging applause and chants. The fans show good instincts and still have patience with the professionals. You know that insults and frustration from the stands would currently be counterproductive for this extremely insecure team. In the club, too, the sporting leadership around board member Christian Heidel and sports director Niko Bungert stands behind coach Henriksen and tries not to let any hecticness or unrest arise.
In Mainz we have often had experience with such situations. Anthony Caci’s contract extension can therefore be seen as a source of encouragement in this difficult phase. A sign of trust from the Frenchman, who could have chosen the new club for free next summer and a signal from the club, which shows that there is belief that it can get out of this crisis with an intact team. But one thing is also clear: there is incredible pressure in the game against Werder Bremen, which can realistically be seen as a key game. If Mainz plays weakly and headlessly again, the calm and the credit could quickly be over.
Broadcast on Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 6:00 a.m., SWR Aktuell in the morning, SWR Aktuell
