Barreiro: proud of his journey and nearing a milestone

23-year-old Leandro Barreiro has already played 99 Bundesliga games for 1. FSV Mainz 05. On Saturday, the home match against TSG Hoffenheim will be a “special” milestone for him. The meeting with TSG will be the 100th Bundesliga appearance for FSV for the home-grown talent, who has been in the starting eleven in every game since the winter break. “I’m pleased that I’m getting more game time, so I can regularly help the team, and that it’s going well for us at the moment”, said the Luxembourg international.

“The team knows the quality that I have”

Barreiro didn’t play regularly in the first half of the season, and started in only seven of the 15 league games before the winter break, but he has already matched this number of starts in 2023, and “is performing”, according to head coach Bo Svensson at the press conference ahead of the Gladbach match. The engine in midfield has covered more than twelve kilometres in each of the last three games and has played a major part in the Zerofivers recent successes with his performances.

“The team knows the quality that I have and that I am a hard-working player, open up spaces, am active in pressing and like to make runs into the box,” said Barreiro, describing his playing style. He scored his first goal of the season in the 2-3 win against Leverkusen on Carnival Sunday, when Jae-Sung Lee played in the onrushing Barreiro after a chipped ball from Anthony Caci and the midfielder fired the ball in from ten yards to make it 2-1. “I’m everywhere on the pitch, that’s one of my strengths. I’ve always wanted to bring my energy onto the pitch to help the team and be active in many areas.”

Not much has changed

The central midfielder has now proven this 99 times in the Bundesliga in an FSV shirt, and he will make this 100 on Saturday. “It’s very special, I am proud of myself and my journey so far,” said Barreiro. “If you’d asked me five years ago, I wouldn’t have thought that it would be so positive so quickly. I’m very happy about the milestone I hope to reach on Saturday,” explained the 23-year-old and wishes for many more special moments with the Zerofivers.

His role within the team has not really changed much in the almost four years since his debut in the home match against Leverkusen in February 2019. But that is more of an outside perspective, according to Barreiro: “I saw myself as a playmaker who takes responsibility, regardless of age. Now I’m a bit older and I still see myself as a playmaker; I like to have that responsibility, take things into my own hands and bring positive input into the group.” So not a lot has really changed, and yet he has of course gained experience in the games for Mainz and the Luxembourg national team over the past few years, which he is now trying to pass on.

I saw myself as a playmaker who likes to take responsibility, regardless of my age.

For example, players like Brajan Gruda and Nelson Weiper are currently just starting their professional careers, as Barreiro once did. “Every youth player goes through the same phases when it comes to making the step into the professional game,” he said. It helps to hear from experienced players that it’s part of the game that it isn’t a straightforward journey. “I think it’s good for the young players to hear that from us and to see that it’s part of the career.”

“Interesting times” in the first half of the season.

Barreiro himself experienced one of these difficult phases in the first half of the season and was unhappy with his playing time. “I had a conversation with the assistant coach during the break and we discussed a lot of things, among which how I would like to perform in the second half of the season,” said Barreiro on what has changed since then. In these “interesting times”, however, he has learned a lot about himself and the right way to deal with such situations. “The important thing is the attitude you show and how you deal with it. There’s no point in hanging your head or being frustrated on the pitch,” the 23-year-old knows, as well as that of course you will be unhappy with the situation, but during training and games you have to “do everything you can to help the team and bring your qualities onto the pitch.”

Youth career at Mainz benefitted Barreiro

He will be constantly supported by head coach Bo Svensson, with whom the Luxembourg international has a “close relationship”, since he played under the Dane in the Mainz youth academy. The FSV manager praised the young player ahead of the recent Gladbach game and explained that Barreiro is a player who “embodies many elements of our game, both in terms of style of play and mentality.” Barreiro knows that it helps to have been in the team for a long time and to have internalised the Zerofivers’ values: “It makes a big difference. I know how we want to play, as a club and with Bo. We know each other inside out, you could say. I’ve been in the system for a long time and know what is expected and needed for a good performance,” said the 23-year-old, aware of the advantages he has from his training at Bruchweg.

I know how we want to play, as a team and with Bo.

It’s no coincidence that so many players from the FSV youth system manage to make to step to the first team, for as a youth player it is “very clear what is demanded from the players,” explained Barreiro, and added, “The values and norms that make up Mainz 05 are also reflected in the professional game.” In addition, the youth coaches have “good communication” with the first-team coaches. “Players who perform well and show quality are allowed to prove themselves in first-team training at a young age and get the chance to take part in training camps,” said the 23-year-old, explaining the reasons for the high rate of progression from youth to professional level.

Looking ahead to Hoffenheim

Barreiro started this journey about four years ago, and now he is about to celebrate his milestone against TSG Hoffenheim. The Luxembourg international knows that it will not be easy against the team currently in 16th place: “We have often been in a position where our backs were against the wall and we needed the points,” he said, knowing what to expect on Saturday. “There will be a high level of aggression, more noticeable than in other games, because these are very important points for them,” predicted Barreiro.

But TSG also have good quality, “which we will prepare for,” continued the Zerofiver. “We will try to stop them from playing their game. At the same time, we want to make sure that we bring our game with just as much energy as we have shown in recent weeks.”

23-year-old Leandro Barreiro has already played 99 Bundesliga games for 1. FSV Mainz 05. On Saturday, the home match against TSG Hoffenheim will be a “special” milestone for him. The meeting with TSG will be the 100th Bundesliga appearance for FSV for the home-grown talent, who has been in the starting eleven in every game since the winter break. “I’m pleased that I’m getting more game time, so I can regularly help the team, and that it’s going well for us at the moment”, said the Luxembourg international.

“The team knows the quality that I have”

Barreiro didn’t play regularly in the first half of the season, and started in only seven of the 15 league games before the winter break, but he has already matched this number of starts in 2023, and “is performing”, according to head coach Bo Svensson at the press conference ahead of the Gladbach match. The engine in midfield has covered more than twelve kilometres in each of the last three games and has played a major part in the Zerofivers recent successes with his performances.

“The team knows the quality that I have and that I am a hard-working player, open up spaces, am active in pressing and like to make runs into the box,” said Barreiro, describing his playing style. He scored his first goal of the season in the 2-3 win against Leverkusen on Carnival Sunday, when Jae-Sung Lee played in the onrushing Barreiro after a chipped ball from Anthony Caci and the midfielder fired the ball in from ten yards to make it 2-1. “I’m everywhere on the pitch, that’s one of my strengths. I’ve always wanted to bring my energy onto the pitch to help the team and be active in many areas.”

Not much has changed

The central midfielder has now proven this 99 times in the Bundesliga in an FSV shirt, and he will make this 100 on Saturday. “It’s very special, I am proud of myself and my journey so far,” said Barreiro. “If you’d asked me five years ago, I wouldn’t have thought that it would be so positive so quickly. I’m very happy about the milestone I hope to reach on Saturday,” explained the 23-year-old and wishes for many more special moments with the Zerofivers.

His role within the team has not really changed much in the almost four years since his debut in the home match against Leverkusen in February 2019. But that is more of an outside perspective, according to Barreiro: “I saw myself as a playmaker who takes responsibility, regardless of age. Now I’m a bit older and I still see myself as a playmaker; I like to have that responsibility, take things into my own hands and bring positive input into the group.” So not a lot has really changed, and yet he has of course gained experience in the games for Mainz and the Luxembourg national team over the past few years, which he is now trying to pass on.

I saw myself as a playmaker who likes to take responsibility, regardless of my age.

For example, players like Brajan Gruda and Nelson Weiper are currently just starting their professional careers, as Barreiro once did. “Every youth player goes through the same phases when it comes to making the step into the professional game,” he said. It helps to hear from experienced players that it’s part of the game that it isn’t a straightforward journey. “I think it’s good for the young players to hear that from us and to see that it’s part of the career.”

“Interesting times” in the first half of the season.

Barreiro himself experienced one of these difficult phases in the first half of the season and was unhappy with his playing time. “I had a conversation with the assistant coach during the break and we discussed a lot of things, among which how I would like to perform in the second half of the season,” said Barreiro on what has changed since then. In these “interesting times”, however, he has learned a lot about himself and the right way to deal with such situations. “The important thing is the attitude you show and how you deal with it. There’s no point in hanging your head or being frustrated on the pitch,” the 23-year-old knows, as well as that of course you will be unhappy with the situation, but during training and games you have to “do everything you can to help the team and bring your qualities onto the pitch.”

Youth career at Mainz benefitted Barreiro

He will be constantly supported by head coach Bo Svensson, with whom the Luxembourg international has a “close relationship”, since he played under the Dane in the Mainz youth academy. The FSV manager praised the young player ahead of the recent Gladbach game and explained that Barreiro is a player who “embodies many elements of our game, both in terms of style of play and mentality.” Barreiro knows that it helps to have been in the team for a long time and to have internalised the Zerofivers’ values: “It makes a big difference. I know how we want to play, as a club and with Bo. We know each other inside out, you could say. I’ve been in the system for a long time and know what is expected and needed for a good performance,” said the 23-year-old, aware of the advantages he has from his training at Bruchweg.

I know how we want to play, as a team and with Bo.

It’s no coincidence that so many players from the FSV youth system manage to make to step to the first team, for as a youth player it is “very clear what is demanded from the players,” explained Barreiro, and added, “The values and norms that make up Mainz 05 are also reflected in the professional game.” In addition, the youth coaches have “good communication” with the first-team coaches. “Players who perform well and show quality are allowed to prove themselves in first-team training at a young age and get the chance to take part in training camps,” said the 23-year-old, explaining the reasons for the high rate of progression from youth to professional level.

Looking ahead to Hoffenheim

Barreiro started this journey about four years ago, and now he is about to celebrate his milestone against TSG Hoffenheim. The Luxembourg international knows that it will not be easy against the team currently in 16th place: “We have often been in a position where our backs were against the wall and we needed the points,” he said, knowing what to expect on Saturday. “There will be a high level of aggression, more noticeable than in other games, because these are very important points for them,” predicted Barreiro.

But TSG also have good quality, “which we will prepare for,” continued the Zerofiver. “We will try to stop them from playing their game. At the same time, we want to make sure that we bring our game with just as much energy as we have shown in recent weeks.”