FSV say goodbye to four players

Daniel Batz arrived at Bruchweg in summer 2023 from 1. FC Saarbrücken as a back-up keeper. He brought experience of top-flight football as well as over 100 third-tier appearances with him. The 35-year-old departs three years later after some unforgettable memories, as well as 24 matches in the Bundesliga and UEFA Conference League, producing a strong display over the course of the second half of the current campaign, deputising for the injured Robin Zentner.

Maxim Leitsch made the move to Mainz from VfL Bochum in 2022. Due to injury setbacks, the talented centre-half featured only 39 times in competitive fixtures, scoring once.

Bayern loanee Armindo Sieb never progressed beyond the status of super sub during his two years as a 05er. The forward leaves Mainz with 61 competitive appearances and five goals to his name.

In August 2021, 05ers academy graduate Niklas Tauer produced an unforgettable sliding tackle during Mainz’s sensational 1-0 victory over Leipzig, a match in which Mainz had been severely hampered by the pandemic. Following this, the defender – who joined the academy at Bruchweg in 2012 – fought for his place in the first-team squad. After two unsuccessful loan spells at Schalke 04 and Eintracht Braunschweig, the now 25-year-old returned last summer, but, partly due to injury, made only 15 appearances for the U23s in the fourth tier. Between 2020 and 2023, Tauer made a total of 19 Bundesliga appearances for the club of his home city.