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Germany: Bundesliga
FT
1 - 2
(1 - 1)
Bochum
Mainz 05
K. Stöger (39)
K. Onisiwo (26), K. Onisiwo (77)

Schmidt reveals Burkardt injury may be muscle tear

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

FSV Mainz 05 managed to win their first fixture of the new season despite losing both captain Silvan Widmer and the team's leading goalscorer Jonathan Burkardt to injuries. 

Speaking to the Sky mics afterwards, Mainz sporting director Martin Schmidt confirmed that Burkardt will be missing for at least two weeks. 
Jonathan Burkardt.
Jonathan Burkardt.
A brace from Mainz's quieter striker Karim Onisiwo proved sufficient to overcome VfL Bochum on the Nullfünfter's first fixture of the new season. One wouldn't have necessarily fancied the chances of Bo Svensson's Pfälzer before kickoff, when it was revealed that both newly anointed captain Silvan Widmer and last season's leading goal-scorer Jonathan Burkhardt had to be scratched from the the XI.


Widmer merely has a stomach bug and should be back next week. Germany U21 captain Burkardt, on the other hand, could be out long-term. This was revealed by FSV sporting director Martin Schmidt in his post-match interview with Sky Germany.

"We have to hope that he might give it a go in two weeks," Schmidt divulged However, "It looks like a muscle fiber tear. He will certainly be out for Union [next week]. It's a matter of 10 or 14 days."

Mainz were able to secure the victory with Karim Onisiwo, a far less prolific goalscorer, operating alone up top. Both Schmidt and Svensson admitted that they were a bit lucky to take all three points against hosts Bochum, who often had the better chances. Schmidt nevertheless emphasized that he felt the win was deserved.

"In the second half, there wasn't much going on," Svensson remarked in his post-match interview, "We were a tad too passive. Then we got a lucky punch with a set-piece goal. That we have to play better, be more active, is surely clear."


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