“We have a chance to take a huge step forward”

Two decisive matches in two different competitions await the 05ers in what’s left of 2025, with the first one coming on Thursday evening at the MEWA ARENA in the Conference League against Turkish side Samsunspor (21:00 CET). Mainz’s opponents have had a solid start to their European campaign and sit in fifth place with ten points (W3, D2, L1). Coincidentally, they have the same record as Mainz, however the 05ers are back in eighth place in the table due to their goal difference. A win against the Turkish side would guarantee Mainz a spot in the round of 16 in March 2026 and give them a significant boost ahead of the final Bundesliga game of the year. In the event of a draw or loss, playoff games in February would loom, bringing with them two additional midweek fixtures. Here’s what Fischer and Bell had to say in today’s press conference.

Urs Fischer on...

…the squad for Thursday: “Phillipp Mwene and Anthony Caci are still unavailable, as are Robin Zentner and Sota Kawasaki. Nikolas Veratschnig is also suspended following his red card in Poznań. Dominik Kohr and Paul Nebel will be back in the squad and things are looking good for Silvan Widmer and Nadiem Amiri to return to the squad.”

…the possibility of direct qualification for the round of 16: “We’re obviously going into it with the goal of winning. You don’t always get what you wish for in football though. It would definitely be better if we didn’t have to go through the playoffs and instead invest more time into training, but that’s not something we can just choose to do.”

…the final two games of the year: “I think the Bundesliga has to be our top priority at the moment. Despite that, it’s important that the boys go out there and enjoy the Conference League games, as it’s not a given you’re always going to play in Europe. It’s important that the team shows its character and does what makes it strong – the performances in Poznań and Munich are two good examples of that.”

…the upcoming opponent: “Samsunspor are a well-drilled side with a structured 4-3-3 formation. They are strong in transition and have some quick players, who will use any space you give them. There’s a distinct identity in their play.”

…starting XI rotation: “I think that with players returning to the squad, I have more options when it comes to selecting the starting XI. For the players, that naturally means increased competition, so they have to prove themselves in the few training sessions we have. We also need to consider which line-up best suits each opponent. Managing player workload is always part of the equation as well. At the moment, we can’t afford to rest players, because we need to go all in for the final two matches of the year.”

Stefan bell on...

…what he expects from the MEWA ARENA crowd: “We can look forward to a full stadium and a great atmosphere. You could get the sense in the past few Conference League games that these matches are special for the fans as well, especially considering we’ve had to wait several years for this opportunity. The fact the away end will also be loud tomorrow will probably make the atmosphere even more special.”

…the previous two games: “It’s been an exciting week for us. We did what we set out to do in Poznań. We obviously wanted to win and had a good first half, but the game unfortunately didn’t go our way, but in the end we were satisfied with a point. The match in Munich was a huge challenge, not least because we were missing several players. I’m very proud of how we performed there as a team and how disciplined we were tactically.”

…the upcoming fixtures: “The next two matches will be very exciting, albeit slightly different. We’ve got several players coming back and we have the chance to take a huge step forward, both in the Conference League and the Bundesliga. We can go into the winter break feeling good. We’ll have more training sessions in January, allowing us to regroup and find our rhythm again with a full squad.”

…the change of head coach: “A change of coach is always significant for a team. It brings a certain anticipation, because everyone has to come out of their shell a little and players get the sense they can push for playing time. The timing makes things slightly more difficult, as we have less training sessions due to the midweek games. Nevertheless, we’ve used the time well and studied our opponents in detail. I think you can see on the pitch how we’ve embraced many of the new ideas and are determined to implement them.”