Mainz management declines to back head coach Bo Henriksen after latest Bundesliga loss

In a Bundesliga match reminiscent of the complete dismantling at the hands of Hamburger SV a little over a month ago,Mainz 05 once again find themselves reckoning with a humiliating 4-0 away defeat. Bo Henriksen’s Rheinhessen were completely demolished by hosts Freiburg at the Europa Park Stadion on Sunday evening.

Freiburg rushed out to a 2-0 lead by the 26th minute. Mainz attacker Paul Nebel’s sending off on a red card two minutes later left no hope for a comeback. The latest display leaves Mainz at the very bottom of the Bundesliga table. Club sporting director Nico Bungert refused to unequivocally back Henriksen in his post-match-interview.

The colorful character once hailed as the city’s savior might well be headed for the sack. Kicker reports that Mainz are considering taking a page from the Borussia Mönchengladbach playbook. The head coach of Mainz’s reserve squad, Benjamin Hoffman (46), might be elevated on an interim basis in order to provide fresh impetus and stanch the bleeding.

“We were pretty much out of the game from the first minute,” Bungert told German broadcaster DAZN after last night’s loss. “We’re disappointing in every last area and deserve to be in last place. We’re lacking the ease and confidence we had last season. We didn’t have that at any point today. There are problems everywhere.

“There [coaching] situation will be discussed calmly behind closed doors,” Bungert continued. “Naturally It is clear to us that, after a game like this, the situation is extremely unsatisfactory and we will be questioning everything. We will see how things progress from here.“

GGFN | Peter Weis