Henriksen guarantees start for Widmer against Heidenheim: "Our captain will lead the way."
Henriksen was less forthcoming about who would replace suspended players Nadiem Amiri and Brajan Gruda, but did praise the training performances of specific actors.
| Silvan Widmer. | Photo: Mainz 05 |
FSV Mainz 05 wingback Phillipp Mwene - after drawing a straight red card in last week's 1-1 draw with Köln - will have to sit out the next two league fixtures for the relegation-threatened Rheinhessen. Germany's Kicker Magazine reports that Mainz did lodge an appeal against Mwene's ban, but have dropped the objection due to minimal prospects of overturning the decision made by the DFB's disciplinary arm.
The loss of Mwene does pose something of a problem for FSV head-coach Bo Henriksen as the Austrian had settled into a regular starting role during the team's recent run-of-success. Mwene partnered with French left-back Anthony Caci - moved over to the right wingback side - over the course of the last six league fixtures. Mainz have taken 12 of a possible 18 points during that run.
Henriksen sought to emphasize that Mwene's absence wasn't that much of a problem whilst speaking at his Thursday presser. After all, squad captain Silvan Widmer has been back fit for weeks. The only thing keeper the skipper out of the starting XI recently has been the surprising success of the Mwene-Caci partnership. It stands to reason that Widmer will start on his natural right-hand-side while Caci moves back left.
"Our captain will lead the way and be absolutely fired up," Henriksen said on Friday, "and I hope the others are too. I'm confident that the players who come in will show me that I was wrong not to bring them in before. We have a really good group."
The "others" Henriksen referred to are the ones charged with replacing his suspended starters. Talisman Nadiem Amiri and effervescent attacker Brajan Gruda must also sit out the match after incurring their fifth yellows last weekend. Henriksen was less forthcoming about who would replace those to players, but did offer up specific praise for the recent training performances of Nelson Weiper, Marco Richter, and Ludovic Ajorque.
It's possible that no member of this trio will be called upon as Henriksen receives two players - Jae-Sung Lee and Tom Krauß - back from suspension this week. A win against Heidenheim can be considered a must if the Nullfünfter hope to avoid the relegation playoffs. After the FCH, Mainz must finish off the season against Dortmund and Wolfsburg.