Mainz maintain injury concerns ahead of Köln, Amiri reveals which Henriksen change he rejected

The ongoing saga involving several Mainz players sitting close to suspension on four yellow cards did produce some availability problems for FSV trainer BO Henriksen when midfielder Tom Krauß and attacker Jae-Sung Lee were booked in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Freiburg. Mainz’s head coach will have to do without both players in a critical relegation race against Köln this coming Sunday. 

Lee had become a regular starter for Henriksen while Krauß typically worked off the bench. Krauß’ suspension can nevertheless still prove problematic as the Germany U21 international was needed to replace the injured Leandro Barreiro halfway through the Freiburg match. Barreiro remains a doubt for the next fixture with a bruised hip. 

Another one of Henriksen’s starters had to pull out of training on Wednesday with a collateral ligament injury. The M05 defensive ranks had finally stabilized somewhat following the return of Norwegian Andreas Hanche-Olsen. A new injury for Hanche-Olsen means that Henriksen – like Bo Svensson and Jan Siewert before him – must turn to an unnatural center back.

The manner in which Henriksen has managed to help Mainz move out of the relegation zone – almost exactly as his compatriot Svensson did three years ago – earned the Dane an extra coverage section in the Thursday print edition of Germany’s Kicker Magazine. New FSV Mainz midfielder Nadiem Amiri noted that the entire team was in love with its new coach. 

One of the more interesting changes Henriksen implemented immediately after his appointment was to not require his players to report to a team hotel on match-days. The 49-year-old, whilst speaking to the journal, noted that players had told him that they preferred to remain close to their families. Henriksen said he acceded to this request on the basis that “the only footballing religious belief I have is winning”. 

Amiri, on the other hand, interestingly noted that he actually preferred to stay in the team hotel on night’s preceding the match. Amiri’s reasoning related to a recent expansion within his family. The resurgent former German international explained that he had his own preferred rituals. 

“Some want to be with their families, but I prefer the hotel,” Amiri said, “Since I became a father, I can sleep better there. That way I can focus on the game in the evening. I go to my room, eat there as well, and go through the upcoming opponent in my mind. Being completely on my own during this time is the best way for me.”