Amiri frustrated after defeat in first match: "We were the better team."
New FSV Mainz 05 signing Nadiem Amiri let it be known that he felt his new team's latest defeat was undeserved when conducting his post-match interview on Saturday.
Inserted into head-coach Jan Siewert's starting XI just days after he was signed away from Bayer 04 Leverkusen, German international Nadiem Amiri pulled the strings in attack for his new club on Saturday afternoon. As Siewert's starting ten, the 27-year-old involved himself in most every attacking charge his team unleashed. Siewert also immediately trusted Amiri with his set-pieces.
Having expressed great enthusiasm in becoming a Nullfünfter - not to mention specifically saying that he felt the FSV's position in the table didn't fit with the squad's talent level during his initial presentation - Amiri expressed similar sentiments following Mainz's 0-1 loss to visiting Bremen on Saturday afternoon. Amiri made clear that he believed in the team when speaking to the Sky mics.
"That's a very bitter defeat," Amiri said, "We were clearly the better team for 90 minutes, pressed a lot more and had enough chances. But I also felt first-hand that we simply need more luck this season. I'm nevertheless proud of the lads."
"Luck isn't on our side, but I think it was by far Mainz 05's best game in recent weeks," Amiri continued, "We just have to keep going and stay positive. We need the fans, the support - and then at some point we'll get out of our rut."
Amiri wasn't the only new singing immediately trusted by Siewert. Newly signed striker Jessic Ngankam also started alone up top in a 4-2-3-1. Usual starting strikers Jonathan Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo moved back to the wings on the second axis.
Asked by his Sky interviewer if he felt that he would be responsible for providing leadership in the team's fight to avoid relegation, Amiri didn't answer directly. He still implied that it would be so, noting that he felt "comfortable" and felt he "enriched" the team's performance.