Without a win in 11 league games
With eleven winless league games in a row across the seasons, 1.FSV Mainz 05 is the weakest team in Europe, but morale and optimism for a turnaround are still intact. Before the Friday evening game (8.30 p.m./DAZN) at Borussia Mönchengladbach, head coach Bo Svensson and his players not only worked on more precision in attack (4 goals in 2023/24) and more consistent defense (17 goals conceded), but especially on strengthening the shattered self-confidence.
“Of course it’s difficult after a series of games like this, but the team already knows the only way out of this misery: Don’t bury your head in the sand and argue, but stick with it, stick with it,” said the Dane on Thursday Probably his most difficult phase as a coach in Mainz: “We have to work on it a lot – also in the mental area.” It is harder to get up, “but we have to do it.”
The last success in the Bundesliga was on April 22nd, when the “Zero Fives” won 3-1 at home against FC Bayern and were unbeaten in eleven games at that point – the same number of games have passed since then without a three-pointer. No other team in the European top 10 leagues has been better than two points during this period. In the current season, only Sheffield United are one goal worse.
In order to build up his players, Svensson praised their performance in the last game against Bayer Leverkusen despite the heavy defeat: “We took some positive things with us, which sounds strange after a 3-0 defeat. We defended it well overall. We had a good mentality and I never had the feeling that the team gave up.”
In terms of personnel, there is positive and negative news for the Rheinhessen team. Austrian striker Karim Onisiwo is out due to hip flexor problems. On the other hand, captain Silvan Widmer could return to the squad after a long-term injury. “He’s really into it and has done everything in training,” said Svensson. Striker Ludovic Ajorque is likely to return to the starting line-up.
Demirovic one of six new players: the captains for the 2023/24 Bundesliga season
Sports director Christian Heidel is confident that the Mainz team will turn things around. “The most important thing is that we do not let setbacks dissuade us from this path and keep our ranks united,” he said in an interview published on the club’s website. “That’s exactly how I experience the coach and team, very self-critical, focused and full of energy. The team makes a good, positive impression and is pulling together.”
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