“We want to use this game to build confidence”

The wait is finally over for Robin Zentner, who is set to make his return to the Mainz lineup, following his suspension from the two recent Bundesliga games that sandwiched this month’s international break. FSV’s goalkeeper was sent off in the game against Borussia Dortmund, meaning he was had to watch the next two games against HSV and Leverkusen from the sidelines. Zentner is looking forward to Thursday night's game (23^rd October, 21:00 CEST) with Zrinjski Mostar in the UEFA Conference League and can look back fondly on his last European experience: “My last game was the one in Cyprus, which was a pretty good outing from our point of view,” said the 30-year-old. A contrast to the mixed start his side have had in the league, which Zentner also reflected on: “We’re not in the position we want to be in right now, but a game in the Conference League could help us get back on track – we want to use it to build our confidence.”

“A step forward” against Leverkusen

Mainz got off to a strong start in both the DFB-Pokal and in Europe, however there is still room for improvement with regards to their Bundesliga campaign – especially in defence. According to Zentner: “We definitely need to focus on our defending – we’ve conceded too many goals recently. Hamburg was a complete failure to be perfectly honest. We were better offensively against Leverkusen and had chances to score more than three,” said the goalkeeper. “The thing we have to work on first and foremost is defending – it is everyone’s job to defend our goal and that needs to be the top priority.” The 30-year-old’s suspension meant that he could only watch his side’s last two Bundesliga games from the sidelines. Despite the defeat at the weekend, FSV’s goalkeeper noticed some positives from his side’s clash with Leverkusen: “I think we took a step in the right direction. We scored three goals at home and made things difficult for Leverkusen for long periods, but in the crucial moments, we gave them easy goals,” said Zentner. “There were times when we weren’t concentrating enough – which is disappointing, but there were still positives in the match that we can take with us into our next games."

FSV’s first chance to continue their positive development comes in the form of a home game against Bosnian side Zrinjski Mostar. Zentner has seen a lot during his time as an 05er, but playing in the Conference League is a new experience for him: “For me, it’s something pretty special – especially because it’s my first time playing in a European competition. We got some initial experience from the game in Cyprus where so many fans joined us, as well as the qualifier at home against Rosenborg,” said Zentner about his first taste of European football. European fixtures are often tricky to predict, which FSV’s goalkeeper is aware of: “The results of these games are never certain, because you can’t always predict your opponent’s playing style in the same way as you can in the Bundesliga. That’s what makes the Conference League special though, in my opinion, as well as having the chance to play against clubs from other countries.”

Looking forward to playing under the floodlights

Mainz are set to play their second floodlight European fixture at the MEWA ARENA this season, having already faced Rosenborg BK under similar circumstances in the qualifying round. Such a setting is something Zentner always looks forward to playing in: “Because all our Friday night Bundesliga games are rescheduled due to us having so many busy weeks, it’s all the more wonderful being able to experience this atmosphere. It just so happens to instead be on a Thursday in the Conference League.”