DFB-Pokal: It’s All About the Right Mindset

Urs Fischer has now completed his first full pre-season with 1. FSV Mainz 05. The Swiss coach has been in charge of the Zerofivers since December and guided the team to safety with room to spare last season. On Friday afternoon, he spoke at the press conference ahead of Mainz’s first competitive match of the 2026/27 season, their DFB-Pokal tie away to VfB Krieschow (Sunday, 3:30 pm CEST, live on SKY and 05ER.fm). Fischer discussed the first challenges of the new campaign, competition for places within the squad and the personnel situation ahead of the trip east.

When Mainz board their flight on Saturday afternoon, they will be without the injured Eric Martel and Paul Nebel. Benedict Hollerbach, who returned to team training after rupturing his Achilles tendon in January, is still working his way back to full fitness and will also miss out, along with World Cup participants Stefan Posch and Silvan Widmer. Although Widmer will be unavailable for the opener, the Swiss international will remain captain, as he has been in recent years. Nadiem Amiri or Robin Zentner will deputise in his absence. Nebel, Dominik Kohr and Phillipp Mwene complete the team’s leadership group, settling some of the key organisational matters that need to be addressed before every new season.

Clear analysis of the opposition

Meanwhile, very different preparations have been taking place in Krieschow, a village of just 500 inhabitants near Cottbus. The club’s Sportpark, which resembles a traditional amateur football ground, has had to be upgraded and expanded ahead of the biggest match in its history, with the Brandenburg side naturally eager to make the best possible impression both on and off the pitch. Additional temporary stands have increased the capacity from 2,000 to 4,000. Around 1,000 Mainz supporters will make the nearly 600-kilometre journey to attend the game.

Mainz can therefore expect unfamiliar conditions in their first competitive match of the season. Although Krieschow are the underdogs, Fischer knows they must not be underestimated. “We are preparing to face a very awkward opponent. They play a clear 4-4-2 and sometimes switch to a 5-3-2 out of possession. They keep things simple and use a lot of long balls. Defensively, they sit deep and remain compact, which can make life very difficult for you. We saw that against Cottbus,” said the Mainz head coach, referring to May’s regional cup final, when Andy Hebler and his teammates pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory away to Energie Cottbus. Fischer also warned of the hosts’ threat from set pieces, with the Mainz coaching staff’s analysis showing that they can create extremely dangerous situations in the penalty area, including from throw-ins.

Competition for places welcomed by the coach

As the favourites, it goes without saying that Mainz are likely to be their own biggest obstacle against the fifth-tier side. The head coach has therefore called for a professional approach, stressing that each player’s attitude will be the key to reaching the next round. “That is not primarily the coach’s responsibility. Of course, we have prepared the players for what awaits them. If we approach the task with complete seriousness, we will have fewer problems. But if our attitude is not right, they can make life extremely difficult for us.”

Fischer is confident that his team are well prepared, both for the cup tie and the challenges ahead: “I see the team as a united group. After eight weeks of pre-season, everyone is raring to get started. Apart from the two injuries, we can be quite satisfied. Nevertheless, we have seen that there are still many areas in which we need to improve.” Asked about the close competition for several positions in his squad, the coach was optimistic that it would contribute to the team’s success. After all, coaches want as many closely contested battles for places as possible. “Everyone has to fight for their place every day and every week. Nothing is set in stone. As a coaching team, our job remains to select the best starting XI for each opponent,” said Fischer.