Although Mainz 05 secured a point during their visit to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday afternoon, it hardly aids their efforts in avoiding relegation this Bundesliga season. As the team at the bottom of the table, mere draws are insufficient for their survival. Additionally, blowing a two-goal lead in the final 13 minutes of the match is hardly a promising sign.
Two former Union players now with Mainz appeared relatively upbeat after the final whistle. Head coach Urs Fischer, who spent five years at the club, enjoyed his return to the stadium. Striker Benedict Hollerbach, currently one of the Bundesliga’s notable transfer disappointments this season, celebrated his first league goal for his new club.
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Hollerbach finally found the net after a lengthy wait of 16 matchdays and 12 appearances. While he expressed considerable frustration in the mixed zone, he also felt relieved to have finally scored, describing it as lifting a weight off his shoulders in Köpenick.
Hollerbach on scoring for Mainz in Berlin:
“A win would have been a boost for our morale, and I have bigger goals than just this one score,” said Hollerbach in the mixed zone. “But I’m definitely happy to score here at my former workplace. For some reason, it’s just easier for me here. I hope this is just the beginning of something bigger.”
Fischer doesn’t shy away from the result
“When there’s something at stake, it can sometimes make one weak in the knees,” Fischer mentioned in his post-match interview with Sky Germany. “We needed to reward ourselves for our performance, and we had to win today.”
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Fischer shared a light moment at the press conference
“Now that I’ve come back as an opponent, I know which staircase to use,” Fischer quipped when asked about his return. “And I had no issues finding the [guest] locker room.”
“It was a fantastic day,” Fischer continued. “I reconnected with many people I worked alongside for a long time and shared a lot of success with. It was a nice reunion, but my main focus was on the game today.”