”ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK”

Mainz 05 will host 1. FC Köln at a sold-out MEWA-ARENA for an evening encounter on matchday 31 of the Bundesliga season. A spectacular run of form over the past few weeks means that FSV are heading into the game against seventeenth-placed Köln from a favourable position. The 05ers will start matchday 31 outside of the bottom three for the first time since August – a special feeling, to be sure, but Bo Henriksen stressed that none of his players can rest on their laurels just yet in Thursday’s press conference. “We can’t afford to switch off or start taking it easy. Instead, we’ve got to stay in the hunt and look for chances on a week-by-week basis,” said FSV’s head coach. Just like all the other Mainz fans, he’ll be hoping to keep this exceptional run of results going.

Henriksen has named the same starting XI for Mainz’s last three games, but he’ll be forced into making at least one change to that side for the match against the Billy Goats. Jae-sung Lee was booked for the fifth time this season and is suspended for the game on Saturday as a result. However, the Dane noted that he does not view Lee’s absence as a cause for concern, emphasising that it represents an opportunity for another player to impress. “We don’t just have 11 players. There’s a lot of quality on the bench, so I’m not worried at all about someone new coming into the starting XI,” explained Henriksen, who has a number of options at his disposal. The players who are in the frame to replace Lee are all united through their belief in the side’s ability and the awareness that they need to carry on fighting tooth and nail for every point.

Being favourites means nothing

This philosophy is even more pertinent for the away side on Saturday. Köln are currently five points adrift from safety and have their backs well and truly against the wall, so they too will be looking to add to their tally sooner rather than later. Mainz’s head coach underlined that he doesn’t view his side as favourites, regardless of their higher position in the Bundesliga standings. He mentioned that it did not factor in to his preparations and that one thing is clear – “We want to win. It’s in our DNA – attack, attack, attack, no matter who we’re up against.” He continued by saying that his team will treat Köln, who lost 2-0 to fellow strugglers SV Darmstadt 98 last weekend, with nothing but respect, especially if the upcoming opponents replicate their recent away performances. “Köln have only lost one of their past six away games and they played very well against FC Bayern despite being defeated 2-0. They’ve got a strong team and have a very good tactical set-up. We know what they can do and have a great deal of respect for them. They’re going to fight, but we’ll hold our own. It’s our next cup final and we’re really looking forward to it. I can hardly wait,” emphasised Henriksen.

Mainz have worked hard over the past couple of months to establish this prevailing sense of positivity and self-belief at the club. The fans and the city as a whole have been fired up for a long time now and continue to support the team through thick and thin – a hugely important factor in the battle for survival. “We can feel it before, during and after every game. The atmosphere at the club is really good. We’ve felt the support from all angles from the very start,” said Henriksen in praise of the attitude in and around Mainz. He’ll be hoping that, just like in four of his five previous games at the MEWA-ARENA, he and his players can whip the home fans into a frenzy and take the next step towards their main goal.