Urs Fischer has breathed new life into Mainz 05, led the team out of the bottom of the table and now has the club dreaming of the Conference League title. Silvan Widmer reveals what his compatriot has changed.
Less than four months ago, Mainz 05 found themselves in a major crisis. With just six points from 13 games, Mainz were bottom of the Bundesliga table at the beginning of December. Former FCZ coach Bo Henriksen, who had led Mainz to 6th place in the previous season, had to go. Mainz brought in Urs Fischer, a man who had been without a club for more than two years.
But the Swiss turned things around. In the very first league game under Fischer, the bottom club picked up a point away against Bayern Munich. Since then, the club has only lost twice in the Bundesliga and is also doing well in the Conference League: Mainz qualified for the quarter-finals with Fischer in charge.
On Tuesday, Mainz captain Silvan Widmer answers questions from journalists at a media conference of the Swiss national team, which also focuses a lot on the upswing of his club under Urs Fischer.
Only five Bundesliga teams better since Fischer's arrival
"The first half of the season didn't go according to plan at all. It was clear that something had to change. The club decided to change coach and Us Fischer was an absolute stroke of luck," Widmer sums up. "In Urs, we were able to recruit an experienced man who turned the right screws."
The figures also prove this: Since Fischer took over at Mainz, only four Bundesliga clubs have scored more points: Bayern Munich, Dortmund, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim. These teams occupy 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th place in the table after the 27th matchday.
Did the Swiss coach work his magic? Or how was this turnaround possible? "He worked a lot on tactics with us in the first few weeks. Now every player knows what to do. We've found our way back to winning, which has given us confidence," explains Widmer.
The dream of the Conference League title is alive
Mainz are now in 11th place, six points clear of the relegation places and nine points clear of a direct relegation spot. "We're in a comfortable position now, but we can't rest on our laurels. We're not completely out of the relegation battle yet."
The right-back explains that the aim after the international break is to collect the necessary points so that the team can concentrate fully on the Conference League. "With Strasbourg, we now have an opponent at eye level in the quarter-finals, the dream is alive. As captain of the team, the greatest thing for me would be to lift a trophy at the end of the season. We believe in it!"
More about the national team
The Swiss national team's program
- Monday, March 23: Gathering in Horben DE
- Thursday, March 26: Departure for Basel
- Friday, March 27, 8:45 p.m.: Test match between Switzerland and Germany in Basel
- Monday, March 30: Departure for Norway
- Tuesday, March 31, 18:00: Test match Norway - Switzerland in Oslo
