“We can’t afford to relax”

On Friday afternoon, head coach Urs Fischer gathered his Bundesliga squad together for their first training session of 2026 at the WOLFGANG FRANK CAMPUS at the Bruchweg. Around 250 fans watched on, as the newest 05er took to the pitch for the very first time. Just before the session, FSV had announced Phillip Tietz’s transfer from FC Augsburg. In eight days’ time, Mainz will be back in Bundesliga action when they travel to take on 1. FC Union Berlin in an important clash at the bottom of the table.

22 members of the first-team squad were involved in the 90-minute-long session, with Fabio Moreno Fell and goalkeepers Louis Babatz and Max Kinzig from the U23s also taking part. U19 talent Jeremiah Debrah was involved in the action on the snow-covered pitch, too. Robin Zentner and Phillipp Mwene trained individually as they continue to recover from injuries. Anthony Caci, Kasey Bos and Maxim Dal (all following individual rehabilitation plans) were also not on the pitch, in addition to Maxim Leitsch and William Böving who are struggling for fitness following illnesses.

Fischer described his team as looking “very keen” as they returned to training. “It’s what we need if we want to get out of the lower reaches of the table,” said Mainz’s head coach in the press conference after the session, with sporting director Niko Bungert also fielding questions from journalists.

Fischer spoke about...

…new arrival Phillip Tietz: “I’m excited that he’s joined us. He provides us with new possibilities and the chance to add some variety to our game. He’s a player who feels at home in the box, but also someone who’s solid when it comes to getting stuck in defensively.”

…the work that lies ahead for FSV: “In the four games since I joined, we’ve managed to steady the ship a little. We’ve taken a step forward, but we’re not where we need to be just yet. There are always things that can be improved. When we’re on the ball, we can be better. We’ve got to be capable of creating more chances and then scoring more goals.”

…Mainz’s successful relegation battles and their significance: “You can’t rest on your laurels. It’s a different year now, and a new situation. Of course, the club has managed to get out of some scrapes in the past, but there’s no guarantee that it’ll be able to it again. We’re focusing all of our energy on staying up. It’s good that people are experienced when it comes to situations like this here. It could be an advantage. But like I said, we can’t afford to relax.”

…the football that he wants to see: “Preferably winning football! Our survival is all about winning points. Of course, every coach wants their team to be good to watch, too. But, at the end of the day, I want to win matches and, in our situation, I don’t care if we deserved to win, or if it was pretty or not. The points are all that matters.”

…the match against Union Berlin: “I had a crazy time there. It’s definitely going to be an emotional one. If I said anything else, I’d be lying. But now, I’m head coach of Mainz 05. I’m looking forward to the game and hope that we’ll be able to bring some points back from Berlin.”

Niko Bungert spoke about...

…signing Phillip Tietz: “He’s a player that fits the profile we’ve been looking for. Under Urs, we’ve been playing with two strikers more often. As a result, it quickly became clear to us in our discussions that we should bring in attacking reinforcements. The player was also keen to join Mainz from the outset. The fact that both Urs and Philipp have shown faith in the club even in the current situation says a lot. Phillip Tietz wanted to play for Mainz. So, we quickly found common ground.”

…more signings: “Essentially, we’re assessing the whole squad so that we can continue building and growing a stronger unit together. Consequently, without directly addressing which positions we’re working on, there’s sure to be one or two more over the next few days.”

…possible loanees: “Things are a bit clearer with Konstantin Schopp. There have been a lot of inquiries and we’re working together with the player to see whether he’ll be able to get some slightly better playing time in the next six months. Otherwise, we’re mainly working on arrivals as far as the squad is concerned. But there are certainly a couple of players where we’ve got to think about whether a loan would make sense, even if we’d prefer to prioritise incoming players at the moment.”