Focus on the things we can influence

1. FSV Mainz 05 will host FC Bayern at a sold-out MEWA Arena on Saturday afternoon (15:30 CEST). It’s a clash that everyone should look forward to, according to FSV boss Bo Svensson. “I hope my team can put in a fantastic performance. Getting a win would be really special,” said Svensson ahead of his first clash with his former coach Thomas Tuchel, an “important person” in Svensson’s development.

Inspired by Tuchel

“Saturday will be special, I played under him for five years,” reflected the Dane. He appeared 100 times in all competitions with Tuchel as his coach between 2009 and 2014 for FSV. “I learnt a lot from him as a footballer and a person during that time,” said Svensson. Tuchel is reported to have worked in great detail on the training ground, something that impressed and inspired Svensson. “That gave me the desire to work in that way too,” added Svensson, who is still in contact with Tuchel. He has even visited him at his various jobs in recent years. “Looking back at your life, there are always people who have helped to shape who you are and where you have. One of those people for me is Thomas Tuchel.”

I learnt a lot from him as a footballer and a person during that time.

Nevertheless, the game itself is Svensson’s primary focus this weekend, just as it was in recent weeks against Hertha and Leipzig where FSV faced familiar faces in Sandro Schwarz and Marco Rose. “We will catch up as friends before and after the game, but during the match we will try all we can to help our respective sides get the win,” stated Svensson.

All good things come in threes

Svensson and his side will look to concentrate on what they can influence. FC Bayern’s recent results, including defeats in the Champions League and the DFB-Pokal, will not play a role in Mainz’s preparations. The Mainz coach would rather discuss the two meetings with Bayern this season, a 6-2 loss away in the league and a 4-0 defeat at home in the DFB-Pokal, as FSV were left “without a chance” in both games. “You can play really well and it still might not be enough. We need to be considerably better than we were in these two games,” demanded the Dane.

You can play really well and it still might not be enough.

The 43-year-old said that the lads need to play with the confidence that they have shown over the last nine unbeaten games. “You need to focus on your own qualities and cannot afford to look at what they are doing, otherwise it will be difficult,” admitted the Mainz coach.

Mainz have won their last two Bundesliga home games against FC Bayern.

Mental and physical freshness instead of tactical sessions

Overall, Svensson and & Co. were not too disappointed that the Zerofivers could only get two draws against Werder Bremen and Köln. “We have analysed those games, but haven’t forgotten where we came from,” explained Svensson, who thought these two matches were totally different. He felt FSV should have beaten Werder (“it was disappointing at the end”), however this wasn’t the case in Cologne. “We obviously should have done a few things better, but not losing a game like that shows real quality and progress,” he reflected.

The players have recharged their batteries and done a little bit of tactical work since the Köln game, but Svensson revealed that they tend to work on mental and physical power at this stage of the season, as well as togetherness and intensity in training. “The lads know what’s needed. We didn’t spend too long analysing the game because our group is really self-critical and can work things out for themselves,” praised the head coach, who asked the players about the issues from that game. “I didn’t need to necessarily show the footage because they already knew,” said Svensson.

One eye on the U19s

Only Jonathan Burkardt will definitely be unavailable. The club “need to find a solution” regarding Nelson Weiper, who is a candidate to play in the U19s final on Sunday at 11:00 CET. Although the first-team players are not required to watch the U19s game, the FSV coach believes a number of them will still be there to support them. “It’s a big day for Mainz 05 and our academy. It would be incredible if we could win the final.”

First of all though, the first team have an important game against the record German champions. Hopefully they can then cheer on the U19s against Borussia Dortmund on the back of a big win.