Our next opponents: On the right track with evident quality

Position

Since Urs Fischer took over in the dugout at Mainz 05, things have been looking up for the Rheinhessen club. When the Swiss coach took over from Bo Henriksen in December of last year, the team were bottom of the table with six points. They have since climbed to 13th place and now have 22 points. If there were a table for the current calendar year 2026, Mainz would be in fifth place with 14 points from eight Bundesliga matches. Fischer has quickly restored confidence and belief in their own strengths to an unsettled squad. Five wins, five draws, only two defeats - that is Fischer's record after twelve matches. Among others, Mainz drew 2-2 at Bayern Munich and won 2-1 at RB Leipzig.

"The coach has a rational and logical way of thinking, gives us specific instructions and provides clear structures - that helps us all a lot," is how Jae-sung Lee describes the coach, who celebrated his 60th birthday last weekend. However, his birthday celebrations did not include a win. There was a 1-1 draw with Hamburger SV. "We didn't get off to a good start in the first half hour, but then dominated the game," said Nadiem Amiri, who had put his team ahead shortly before the break with a volley from a Danny da Costa cross. Victory was denied when a deflected free-kick from Hamburg's Fabio Vieira levelled the scores at 1-1. "We've dropped two points, but we still have to hold our heads high and keep looking for more points," said Amiri. Urs Fischer took a similar view: "Another point on the board. It will be very tight right to the end. I've always said every point can help us in the end." Despite the upturn in fortunes under the Swiss coach, the Mainz position at the bottom of the Bundesliga remains precarious. They are only three points above the relegation spot of 17th.

The Red and Whites are still involved on the European stage. In the UEFA Conference League, they qualified directly for the Round of 16 in the league phase after finishing seventh in the table. Mainz will face Czech club SK Sigma Olomouc in mid-March. For now, however, full concentration is on the next challenge on Saturday in Leverkusen. Jae-sung Lee: "The away games in Munich and Leipzig have shown that we can be successful with our Mainz football and can pick up points - we have to perform in the same way at Leverkusen." In the first half of the season, FSV lost 4-3 at home to the Werkself in a game that was exciting right to the end.

Personnel

Mainz will still be without the services of the injured centre-backs Andreas Hanche-Olsen (muscular problems), Stefan Bell (ligament) and Maxim Dal (torn cruciate) in Leverkusen. However, Fischer has sufficient alternatives in this position, as the Mainz squad has seven centre-backs. Most recently, the 18-year-old Kacper Potulski took on the role in a back three alongside the experienced Stefan Posch and Dominik Kohr. Captain Silvan Widmer is available again after a one-match suspension and he could return to the left flank in place of Philipp Mwene. His counterpart on the right flank is likely to be Danny da Costa. Like Kohr and Amiri, da Costa is also a former Leverkusen player. The trio have long been cornerstones in the Mainz 05 game. While Amiri shines as a midfield dynamo and finisher, the Japanese Kaishu Sano is the defensive control centre in midfield. The 25-year-old is the only player to have featured in the starting line-up in all 23 Bundesliga games so far - and he has always played the full 90 minutes. Last season, his first for the Rheinhessen club, the Japan international started all Bundesliga games from the beginning. Sano is an absolute perennial favourite for the Red and Whites and, like Amiri, is indispensable. The same applies to the South Korean Jae-sung Lee. The 33-year-old extended his contract at Mainz beyond the end of the season a fortnight ago.

In attack, Fischer has many more options than at the end of last year, not least thanks to the winter additions of Sheraldo Becker (on loan from CA Osasuna), Phillip Tietz (FC Augsburg) and Silas (VfB Stuttgart). Urs Fischer has relied on the latter two as an attacking duo in the last three games. Tietz has scored once so far and set up two more goals. Silas has also scored once. Becker has not yet made more than three substitute appearances. Centre-forward Nelson Weiper, who was recently absent against HSV due to illness, is also more of an option from the bench. For Benedikt Hollerbach, on the other hand, the season is over: The 24-year-old tore his right Achilles tendon at the end of January. Mainz will also be missing full-backs Kasey Bos (rehab after shoulder surgery) and Anthony Caci (rehab training) as well as midfielders Nikolas Veratschnig and Sota Kawasaki due to illness.

Problems

Only five of Mainz's 26 goals have been scored by strikers. Despite the winter signings, the FSV attack is still not very potent. The Rheinhessen side have not scored in nine of their league games - only Borussia Mönchengladbach and Werder Bremen have played one more goalless game. Mainz still have room for improvement in terms of play and finishing. The number of passes and pass completion, shots on goal, shots on target - the Fischer team is way down in these key stats. As far as goals conceded are concerned, the Red and Whites are vulnerable in the opening quarter of an hour and have already conceded nine goals in the first 15 minutes - more than any other team. Mainz obviously have problems in the air in particular and are in second-last place in this ranking with ten headed goals. It is well known that Mainz 05 are physical. With five dismissals and 54 yellow cards - the second-highest numbers in the table - there are a lot of minutes spent with a man down and lost through suspension.

Performers

Probably the most important player for Mainz is Nadiem Amiri. With ten goals (including seven penalties) and three assists, the former Bayer 04 player has been directly involved in every second goal scored by the Rheinhessen side. Even HSV coach Merlin Polzin raved about the 29-year-old after the 1-1 draw: "An outstanding player. You can rub him up the wrong way but he always manages to create a good emotional atmosphere. It's just fun watching him." Amiri has continued to develop under Urs Fischer. "If Nadiem continues like this, he should be in Julian Nagelsmann's squad," said the Mainz coach after another strong performance from Amiri against HSV in favour of his inclusion in the Germany World Cup squad. The Red and Whites' number 10 is not only their most dangerous player in terms of goals and a set-piece specialist, but also valuable for his stamina and defensive input.

Speaking of defence, it's no surprise the robust Mainz side have the most duels per game of any Bundesliga team. Kaishu Sano has the best figures here. As a number six, the Japanese player has a successful duel rate of 64.8%, putting him in the top ten of all Bundesliga players. Goalkeeper Daniel Batz also has a top number in defence. At 35 years of age, the oldest Mainz player has been guarding the FSV goal since mid-December last year in place of the injured number 1 Robin Zentner. Batz has a save rate of 73.2% and thus leads the goalkeepers in the Bundesliga.