Darmstadt make the relatively short trip to the Coface Arena to kick-start matchday eight in the Bundesliga. The pair have enjoyed surprisingly steady starts to the season and will be hoping to maintain that form before the teams break for international action.
Schmidt’s success continues
After being brought in as Kasper Hjulmand’s replacement in the early part of last term, Martin Schmidt has progressed this Mainz side even further over the summer. The addition of Yoshinori Muto looks a hugely promising one, as he has already opened his account for the club.
Fabian Frei had also made a solid start to his career at the Carnival Club but then found himself sidelined with injury. The aforementioned players replaced, Mainz two key players last term – Shinji Okazaki and Johannes Geis – and are doing a more than satisfactory job.
Schmidt has also been helped massively by the form and consistency of a few stand-out players. Loris Karius’ performances between the sticks only seem to get better every week and continues to earn even more plaudits as he does so. Julian Baumgartlinger, made captain in the summer with Geis and Nikolce Noveski’s departures, has done a brilliant combative job in midfield and seems to be becoming more involved with every attack.
The real star-turn is Yunus Malli. The attacking midfielder has always shown glimpses of what he is capable of but this year has seen him explode onto the scene. A hat-trick against Hoffenheim showcased his talents, and a few more showings like that could see him snapped out by a Bundesliga giant.
While the form of individuals is all well and good, the collective effort at Mainz has always been priority number one. Whether it was under Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel or now Schmidt, the hallmark of these successful sides has been an incredible work ethic and high amounts of team work.
The relentless pressing is something that the aforementioned pair executed to perfection while in charge and it now seems like this team are beginning to hit those heights too. Defeat to Bayern Munich in their last outing wasn’t ideal but was expected, but a good first half showing and their fair share of chances, including a glorious one for Muto himself, could have seen the game swing either way.
Darmstadt continue their fairytale
The dramatic recent rise of the Lilies is more unbelievable than any box office offering in the cinemas today. After near-relegation, in fact they were saved by a technicality, Dirk Schuster began to turn their fortunes around.
The most incredible promotion play-off game seen Elton da Costa’s 94th minute winner seal their passage out of the 3. Liga, and a year later they were celebrating a return to the Bundesliga for the first time in over three decades. Their nature for the impossible hasn’t left their system now they’re in the big time, and last weekend’s last-gasp equaliser at the Signal Iduna Park was further evidence of that.
What is happening at the club is quite incredible, and they have no one stand-out player that screams ‘Come and get me’, to the Bundesliga’s elite. Like Mainz, in a way, their players are great for them but never seem to get the attention they truly deserve. While Geis and Okazaki are the exceptions to the rule, Marcel Heller is making a convincing case that he could make the step up to a bigger club.
The winger possesses frightening pace and the ability to apply a finish at the end of his runs. Three goals and one assist this season have shown that Heller is more than capable of cutting it with the big boys, and his goal against BVB was calmness personified. He showed incredible composure and technique to rifle home a first-time volley in front of Dortmund’s yellow wall, which gave the plucky minnows the lead in the game.
To avoid becoming another one-season wonder like Paderborn and Eintracht Braunschweig, Heller will need to keep up this incredible level of performance. But, of course, so will the entire team. Luca Caldirola has added a steely determination and Bundesliga experience at the heart of their defence and György Garics at right-back has slotted in with ease.
Leon Balogun, who the summer signing replaced, could face his former club on Friday evening. Sandro Wagner, another arrival during the transfer window, has rotated well with Dominik Stroh-Engel and both are putting considerable contributions towards the team’s success. Their pressing and team-work have already earned huge scalps against Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, and Dirk Schuster will have Mainz lined-up to be the next.
Team news
Both teams are at almost full strength for the game. Peter Niemeyer could feature despite breaking his nose recently, although Schuster may want to ease him back into action. Long-term absentees Fabian Frei and Elkin Soto are still missing, while Jhon Cordoba is touch-and-go up to kick-off. Other than that, neither manager has any real reason to make massive changes from their line-up from last time out.
Line-ups
1. FSV Mainz 05 – (4-2-3-1) Karius; Brosinski, Bell, Bungert, Bengsston; Baumgartlinger, Latza; Jairo, Malli, Clemens; Muto.
SV Darmstadt 98 – (4-4-1-1) Mathenia; Garics, Sulu, Caldirola, Diaz; Heller, Gondorf, Vrancic, Rausch; Rosenthal; Wagner.