8000 fans will accompany FSV Mainz 05 this Saturday. 8000 fans hoping that their team will go into the summer break properly and successfully, after they have worked on four consecutive matchdays to put their season, which has been so good so far, mainly thanks to the impressive second half of the season, in a worse light. Involuntary, because most professionals were no longer able to push themselves to their limits for various reasons. The result was zero points and 3:13 goals.

Regardless of the outcome of the game at the Westfalenstadion against Borussia Dortmund this Saturday (15.30 CET in the F.A.Z. live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky), the Rheinhessen annex can cheer on a player: Stefan Bell will play his 256th Bundesliga game for the 05s, unless he is absent at short notice, making him the club's sole record holder.

Last weekend, the centre-back drew level with Nikolce Noveski, who left eight years ago. "This is a special day," says Svensson, who virtually brought Bell out of the sinking after taking office. In the past two and a half years, Bell has been one of the key players, first for staying in the league and then for two stable seasons. "That's why he will play a central role in the history of Mainz 05, not only because of the number, but also because of the way he did it."

At the pre-match press conference, the coach kept a curious low profile when asked about the state of health of Jonathan Burkardt, who has been out injured for more than half a year. "Here and now I can't comment on it," he said, "but the club will make a statement soon."

"I'm dealing with Stachi in terms of content"

Svensson, on the other hand, commented very clearly on Sky expert Dietmar Hamann's recommendation to FC Bayern to sign 05 player Anton Stach for next season. "I don't know how many games Hamann has seen from us this year," said the Mainz football coach. "That can be his opinion, I'm dealing with Stachi in terms of content."

He thinks very highly of his player, who can be used as a six, eight, but also in more offensive roles, "but Anton had some problems this year with injuries and setbacks and with building on the strong previous season". Stach has played a decent season, but those who know his potential know that there is still a lot of room for improvement. "He didn't bring his potential and talent to the pitch with the frequency that he and we had hoped for."

In recent games in Wolfsburg, against Schalke, in Frankfurt and against VfB Stuttgart, this was the case for a large part of Stach's Mainz colleagues. It would be an ironic final punch line if the 05ers were to lower their nationwide popularity this Saturday by helping FC Bayern win the championship with a win at league leaders BVB.

In view of their low performance, this seems out of the question, but of course Svensson and his coaching staff are working on exactly that: to put their team in a state where they can achieve another victory. "For us, it's about bringing our thing to the pitch in terms of content and representing Mainz 05 as well as possible," said Svensson, "not about whether we want to help someone or give them a leg up."