The end of the year went wrong with a 0:1 defeat in Frankfurt. Despite 57 points in the calendar year 2021, the Nullfünfern were predominantly angry about the defeat afterwards.
On 9 January, Mainz’s football year – and Bo Svensson’s tenure – began with a 0:2 defeat against Frankfurt. At that time, the zero-fives had six points on their account after the 15th matchday and were at the bottom of the table. Despite the unsuccessful start, Mainz took off with their new coach, picking up 57 points in 2021 – and thus not only avoided almost certain relegation, but are also knocking on the door of international business this season
The year ends as it began
Before the end of the year and the first half of the season, the Nullfünfer were in sixth place – and again their opponents were Eintracht Frankfurt. 90 minutes later, the year ended for the Mainzers as it had begun, with a defeat. After the 0:1 defeat at Eintracht, sporting director Martin Schmidt criticised the lack of access in the first half.
His coach saw it similarly on the “Sky” microphone: “It’s annoying, we slept through the first half, weren’t at our best, were too late, played badly, weren’t ready.” Svensson even took the blame completely on himself: ” That is actually also my fault, my responsibility. I didn’t do my job well enough. “
The difference at the beginning of the year
Although the defeat means that Mainz will not enter the short winter break in a position that would qualify them for international play, the team at Bruchweg “can be happy and grateful that we are still in the first division at all. Nobody would have expected that twelve months ago,” said defender Stefan Bell.
Nevertheless, his own sense of entitlement has changed, because Bell was also clearly annoyed about the lost game. When asked what outweighed the joy about the season or the anger about the defeat, Bell had no clear answer: “It’s a little bit of both.
For Schmidt, a win would have “improved the feeling for Christmas”, but the sporting director still attested to a “good, solid half-season” for his FSV, which Mainz ended with 24 points. By way of comparison: After 17 games in the previous season, the Nullfünfer only had seven points to their name.
