Svensson hopes for second upset of Leipzig: "Important not to set our standards too low."
FSV Mainz 05 heads to Saxony on Saturday hoping to get the second-half of their season off to a winning start.
Speaking at his Friday presser, FSV trainer Bo Svensson made clear that he wasn't totally over his Hin-runde frustrations.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig trainer Domenico Tedesco emphasized that COVID absences accorded his team no excuses in the upcoming match.
Speaking at his Friday presser, FSV trainer Bo Svensson made clear that he wasn't totally over his Hin-runde frustrations.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig trainer Domenico Tedesco emphasized that COVID absences accorded his team no excuses in the upcoming match.
| Bo Svensson. | Photo: GEPA Pictures/Wolfgang Jannach |
The coach who led them out certain relegation wasn't terribly interested in patting himself on the back. Bo Svennsson actually berated himself for not preparing the team properly following round 17's 0-1 loss to Frankfurt. Back from his brief break from league action, Svensson remained resolute when speaking to members of the assembled press on Friday.
The coach who led them out certain relegation wasn't terribly interested in patting himself on the back. Bo Svennsson actually berated himself for not preparing the team properly following round 17's 0-1 loss to Frankfurt. Back from his brief break from league action, Svensson remained resolute when speaking to members of the assembled press on Friday.
"The players are allowed to have their opinions," Svennsson stated, "but for me personally it remains important that we don't set our standards too low. We don't simply ignore a poor performance, even if we played a good year."
Svennsson's Mainz, like every other Bundesliga club, must deal with a wave of COVID absences. The Nullfünfter have gotten off relatively light, though the loss of captain Moussa Niakhaté on the back-line will definitely be felt.
The FSV trainer remained relatively cool about the captain's absence. Mainz actually delivered a shock upset of Leipzig at home despite an in-team COVID outbreak that left them without several key players in round one.
Niklas Tauer, who performed splendidly in that match and entered the winter break in promising form, looks to be the likely replacement candidate.
True to how the Bundesliga schedule works in perfect inverse order, it is now Leipzig who are suffering from the in-team COVID outbreak. Trainer Domenico Tedesco will definitely have to do without at least four regular squad players. André Silva and Christopher Nkunku have exited quarantine, but are unlikely far from full match fitness in time for Saturday's duel.
"Short-termism is good for us," Tedesco said in his own remarks to the press, "It's fundamentally important that we try to think day-to-day. Our 'corona rat-tail' might drag on for a little while longer, but that's not whining. We don't whine."