The 05ers can count on their fans in the fight for the European Cup places. The Mainz Arena is already sold out one day before the floodlight game on Friday (8:30 p.m.).
The omens for this duel of the 31st matchday couldn’t be more different: In the evening game between Mainz 05 and Schalke 04, for some it’s about the possibility of playing internationally next season, for others it’s about important points against relegation .
Mainz against Schalke under a different sign
Review: After the duel on match day 14 of the first half of the season, a lot has changed: Were Schalke still trailing behind at the time, the goal of staying up is currently just a point away. At the end of the first half of the season, the Royal Blues were in 18th place with only nine points. One of the two wins in the first half of the season came in a duel against Mainz 05. However, Schalke’s 1-0 win at the time says little about the current situation in Rheinhessen.
The aim of the Mainz team before the season, like every year, was to stay up. A goal that, in addition to a few detours into the top third of the table, has often only been achieved late in recent years. Things are different this season, when concerns about relegation have been forgotten for weeks. Most recently, coach Bo Svensson’s team got into a frenzy and didn’t lose ten games in a row. The clear defeat last weekend against Wolfsburg (0: 3) also clouds the situation. and breaking this club’s record series within one season did not catch the ambitious coach’s eye. The Dane is ready to fight and simply states: “We weren’t particularly good in Wolfsburg”, but adds that otherwise they would have been “very, very stable” recently and played good football even in weaker phases of the game.
Bo Svensson: “Try to get the most out of it”
In the last four games of the season, Mainz still have the opportunity to reach international business. Even if the 05ers have fewer (financial) opportunities compared to their direct competitors Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and Frankfurt, “we want to try to be ahead of them in the table,” says Svensson.
Schalke coach Thomas Reis: “Mainz is playing a great round”
Schalke coach Thomas Reis isn’t blinded by Mainz’s defeat in Wolfsburg either. “They certainly didn’t show what they can show,” said the 49-year-old. And in contrast to the first leg, which Schalke won and thus started their race to catch up in the relegation battle, the Mainz fans will probably provide the decisive impetus in this game. With almost 34,000 spectators, the arena is completely sold out.
One thing seems to be clear: the mood in the duel between dreams of Europe and fear of relegation is definitely taken care of.
YouTube video from SWR Sport Fußball: “Breakin’ series: Mainz 05 conceded Klatsche in Wolfsburg – Your FSV #68 | SWR Sport”
