“Getting better week by week”: Mainz boss Fischer lays down the law | OneFootball

The absolute top match is scheduled for Friday (February 13, 8:30 p.m.) in the Bundesliga. The best team of the second half of the season will host the number two. In other words: Borussia Dortmund will face 1. FSV Mainz 05.

BVB is the only club from the top German division to have won all four of its matches in the second half of the season. However, their direct pursuer is not FC Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, or VfB Stuttgart. No, Mainz 05 is lying in wait with three wins and just one defeat.

“The confidence has returned thanks to the results,” Urs Fischer said happily at Wednesday’s press conference ahead of the away game at Signal Iduna Park. The 59-year-old Swiss replaced Bo Henriksen (51) as head coach of the Rheinhessen. Under his leadership, Mainz has steadily climbed the table and has now reached 14th place. “Something happens in your mind when you trust yourself instead of being hesitant,” Fischer explains the team’s run of success.

“But nothing has been achieved yet”

However, the 05ers’ head coach also raises a cautionary finger. “But nothing has been achieved yet,” he states matter-of-factly. His demand for his team is therefore: “We want and need to keep getting better week by week.” Fischer believes they have a good chance, but only “if we can build on the performances of recent weeks, stick to our basics, and stay compact.”

The Swiss coach analyzes BVB: “Dortmund repeatedly combines through the center, and they have players who can take on opponents one-on-one.” To stand up to Borussia, his team will need “good organization, also against counterattacks.” But at the same time, it’s important “to be bold on the ball, to keep it moving.” His conclusion: “In the end, it’s the right mix that counts against a top team that has only lost one game and has the second-best defense in the league.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.