Mainz 05 Triumphs in Conference League Despite Bundesliga Struggles

Mainz 05 continues to face difficulties in the Bundesliga, currently sitting in second-to-last place on the table. However, under the guidance of Bo Henriksen, the team has been performing impressively in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL). Their recent 2-1 victory over ACF Fiorentina at home has allowed them to maintain a flawless record in the group stage, winning all three of their matches so far.

Once again, as they did two weeks prior, Henriksen’s squad delivered a memorable performance for the sold-out crowd. After falling behind 0-1, they rallied to score two second-half goals, with Mainz forward Jae-Sung Lee netting the dramatic winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Both head coach Henriksen and team captain Nadiem Amiri expressed their exhilaration following the match.

“I’m very relieved,” Amiri shared in an interview with RTL. “Although we didn’t play our best football today and had to put in significant effort, I’m overjoyed. It’s rewarding to see how much the fans appreciated our efforts. I’m not sure if Mainz has ever defeated such a prominent opponent at home; this victory will certainly be remembered in our history.”

Henriksen also reflected on the match, stating, “It was just one of those magical evenings. We are thrilled to have achieved this result and to celebrate it with our fans. Facing a tough opponent, we never wavered in our belief. We started strong for the first 15 minutes, faced a challenging phase for another 15, but gradually found our rhythm again.

“For me, heart is the most crucial aspect,” he continued. “We showed heart today. With that kind of determination, anything is possible. We had been missing these emotions in recent times. The highlight of my coaching career was when we avoided relegation at the end of the 2023/24 season, but this match is also significant.

“Moments like these capture the essence of football,” Henriksen concluded. “We cherish this sport precisely because of experiences like this, which we shared with our fans. We love it. We simply love it.”