Following a crucial Bundesliga triumph against their “Rhein Rivals,” Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz 05 head coach Urs Fischer has expressed considerable optimism that his team can successfully steer clear of relegation. This latest victory extends Fischer’s side’s unbeaten streak to an impressive seven matches.
Having accumulated nine points from their last five league fixtures, Mainz has climbed to 11th place in the Bundesliga standings with 30 points. The widely recognized “Bundesliga Safety Threshold” now appears well within reach, with only seven matchdays remaining in the season.
Mainz Honors a “Perfect Week”
The previous week’s league win over Werder Bremen, combined with Thursday’s historic Conference League victory against SK Sigma Olomouc, has granted Fischer’s squad three significant wins within a span of just seven days. The FSV head coach repeatedly highlighted this remarkable achievement during the post-match press conference.
Notably, Fischer made very few changes to his squad over this intense seven-day period. Only Sheraldo Becker and Nelson Weiper rotated in alongside striker Philipp Tietz in Fischer’s established 3-3-2-2 formation. All other members of the starting XI remained unchanged for these three consecutive fixtures.
Fischer addressed his consistent squad selection strategy at the press conference, including the fact that he deployed the exact same starting lineup for three consecutive Bundesliga matches. Reporters present at the media round were also keen to elicit further comments from Fischer regarding his revitalized and in-form star, Paul Nebel.
Their curiosity was indeed satisfied.
Urs Fischer Discusses Results, Rotations, and Nebel
“It has truly been a perfect week for us,” Fischer remarked at the post-match press conference. “To witness a performance like this, just two and a half days after our win in Bremen last week and Thursday’s historic Conference League victory, was absolutely amazing. We scored the goals and defended with immense passion in a 5-4-1 setup. I reiterate: it was simply a perfect week for us. One can be more than pleased. We can finally breathe a little now.”
“I believe that most players are capable of playing three games in a row,” Fischer stated, responding to inquiries about his minimal personnel changes. “From a load management perspective, I think it’s an integral part of the modern game. I will emphasize that we utilized these two and a half days [for recovery] optimally. We were hardly on the pitch. We conducted some ‘alternative training sessions’ for those who didn’t play. Our primary focus was on regeneration.”
“Securing all three points is undeniably massive,” Fischer commented on the significant (and somewhat unexpected) win. “Both sides would likely have been content with a 1-1 draw. However, I must still stress that nothing is truly accomplished until we are mathematically safe from relegation. We can celebrate only when it is confirmed that we are no longer involved in the relegation battle.”
“If Paul Nebel keeps scoring braces, we’ll certainly be on the right track,” Fischer noted with a hint of humor in response to a question about his star performer. “I am genuinely happy for him. He has invested an enormous amount of effort. He has made substantial progress concerning his work on the ball and his ability to advance play. Nevertheless, there remains ample room for further improvement.”
