Despite a significant European achievement on Monday evening, Mainz 05 head coach Urs Fischer maintained his cautious stance during his pre-match press conference on Friday. The 60-year-old reiterated that his team is still actively involved in the Bundesliga relegation battle. With 33 points heading into the 29th matchday of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season, Mainz still needs at least one more win or two draws to reach the 35-point “safety threshold.”
This Sunday, Mainz will face SC Freiburg, another German team with European success. It’s possible that Fischer’s squad might not secure any points against the high-flying Breisgauer. In a recent interview with Kicker Magazine, Fischer insisted that his team was not yet safe from relegation. The Mainz manager affirmed this view even after Mainz’s surprising victory over Champions League contenders Hoffenheim last weekend.
Urs Fischer on Mainz’s Mentality
When questioned if his Rheinhessen could tentatively celebrate safety, Fischer stated, “I am far from that opinion. To look that far ahead and give the lads that impression would simply be wrong. I stand by what I said last week. We are still [arithmetically] in the mix, and it’s not good enough yet. Sure, the situation has changed a bit, but we are still not out of the woods yet.”
Looking ahead to their upcoming opponent, Fischer commented, “Unfortunately, there is no time to celebrate yet. We must take time to sort out our mentality properly. We are facing a very patient, composed, and mature team. Dreams are permitted, but there’s a solid cap on them.”
