analysis
FSV Mainz 05 is the secret team of the year. Werder Bremen and Borussia Mönchengladbach are working almost masterfully again.
Christian Heidel came to the mixed zone of the Frankfurt Arena last Saturday as the last of the happy delegation from FSV Mainz 05. Right next to the big picture of Eintracht icon Jürgen Grabowski, the sports director should take stock: “The fact that we are having such a year is surprising to us too.”
The relegation candidate in January has become a European Cup contender in December 2024. The boss has been through all the ups and downs at Bruchweg for almost three decades. Heidel explained that there hasn’t been such a positive season for a long time. “I wouldn’t mind if we were named ‘Team of the Year’, even if it doesn’t buy us anything.”
Since Bo Henriksen, who was pulled out of the hat by Heidel, took over as coach on matchday 22 of last season, the Rheinhessen have scored 48 points across the seasons. Only VfB Stuttgart RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and double winner Leverkusen were better.
“Soaring with Henriksen”headlined the trade magazine Kicker on Monday. It doesn’t happen that often that Mainz is the top topic.
Mainz coach Henriksen brings back memories of Jürgen Klopp
After a bumpy start to the season, the zero-fives have gone from success to success under the Dane, winning five of their last six Bundesliga games. The reward: fifth place. Mainz is currently the best solid middle team in the Bundesliga.
After Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, there is once again a coach with a cult factor in the coaching bench. The similarities with the icon Klopp are striking in their appearance alone – Heidel knows that too, but wants to emphasize: “As Klopp jumped around like a wisp, he was quickly reduced to his role as a motivator.” That was just as nonsense back then as it is today with Henriksen.
The way the referee gets the crowd going before kick-off is a testament to the spirit of his team, which fought for points against neighbors Eintracht Frankfurt (3-1), even when they were outnumbered. Certainly not necessarily deserved, but on the route the earnings are no coincidence. Although the club has Brajan Gruda, Leandro Barreiro and Sepp van den Berg “three of the five best players” (Heidel) lost and generated a transfer surplus of almost 30 million euros, the location is fully competitive.
At SV Werder, the players mature in peace
In Bremen and Mönchengladbach, too, the mood at the turn of the year could hardly be better. SV Werder and Borussia, both of which have a successful history and great popularity across the catchment area, are once again serving the eternal longing for the European Cup.
Werder has not only stabilized after being promoted again, but under coach Ole Werner many regular players have improved even further, as the home win against Union Berlin (4:1) showed. Goalkeeper Michael Zetterer, defense chief Marco Friedl, rail player Mitchell Weiser, clearer Senne Lynen, midfielder Jens Stage, plus goal scorer Marvin Ducksch: Even in the middle or advanced age of a professional footballer, it is not too late to move to the next level. The green and white rebirth also refutes all skeptics who do not believe in the beneficial renewal of a second league year.
Can surprisingly look up: the Werder Bremen players are happy
Borussia Mönchengladbach expects Bayern soon
The foals didn’t have to fall that low, but not many people expected their positive end to the year under trainer Gerardo Seoane. After the away win at TSG Hoffenheim (1:2) in front of almost 10,000 fans, there was a party atmosphere. The upward trend is obvious. Many cogs finally mesh together on the Lower Rhine.
The promotion of Moritz Nicolas to number one has paid off, new signing Philipp Sander brought more stability in the midfield – and in Tim Kleindienst, Borussia finally has a goalscorer again who makes the difference. Seoane believes: “There is still potential both individually and as a team.”
All options for Freiburg and Stuttgart
SC Freiburg and VfB Stuttgart are counting on the fact that everything in the middle part of the table cannot shift quickly. The Breisgauers, under Julian Schuster as the successor to the super-character Christian Streich, completed an initially good first half of the season that was later only mediocre, and the Swabians under Sebastian Hoeneß simply have to pay tribute to the high-profile departures and the additional burden in the Champions League. Both will still be able to easily compete in the fight for the Europa League places.
It will be more difficult for VfL Wolfsburg, which is struggling for consistency and continues to not adequately use the funds made available by the crisis-plagued VW Group. Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl is not satisfied with the result in eleventh place after the home defeat against Borussia Dortmund (1:3). His interim assessment reads gray on gray.