Jenz: “We have a lot of belief, which is really important”

A number of Mainz fans witnessed Moritz Jenz walk up the steps into the Q-Block to take over the megaphone after Saturday’s 2-0 home win over St. Pauli at the MEWA ARENA. The FSV defender had the honour of leading the celebratory ‘Humba’ chant, kicking off the party that ensued ahead of carnival week after Mainz’s second consecutive victory. It was a totally new experience for the defender: “It was quite surreal to see a lot of fans dressed up in the stands. Being allowed in the terrace was a real honour for me and the fans gave me a warm welcome. I was still a bit nervous, but it was great fun in the end,” described Jenz.

“I’d been really excited about it”

The Berlin native had been looking forward to the unique nature of last weekend’s game for a while. “It was my first carnival matchday and I’d been really excited about it. It was a special day, as was the kit we wore,” said the 25-year-old, who also kept his eye out for some interesting costumes in the crowd. “I was obviously intrigued by what the fans would be wearing. We saw on the way to the ground that most of them were in costume. Everyone was in high spirits.” 

The afternoon’s festivities were quickly forgotten once the match kicked off at 15:30 CET, however. Mainz struggled to dictate the play in the first half against a well-organised St. Pauli outfit, but managed to take all three points thanks to second-half goals from Jae-sung Lee (67’) and Paul Nebel (90’+5). Saturday saw the 05ers record their third consecutive clean sheet and their ninth overall in the Bundesliga this season – Jenz has started in each of the last three matches and has played his part in the defence being so solid. “I think the hard work we put in during training is paying off at the minute. Some of the things we have focused on are our defensive block and our tackling. Everybody is feeling comfortable,” reported the centre-back.

A mullet on the carnival float?

Jenz feels another important aspect has been the number of defensive options the 05ers have. “If somebody is out injured, we’ve got another defender who can come in and perform as well as them. We have a lot of belief, which is really important, and that’s why things are going so well right now.” Jenz, who is on loan from VfL Wolfsburg, has a clear idea of what his role is at Mainz after a few months at the club: “I like to be a leader at the back. I enjoy organising the defence and want my teammates to know they can rely on me. As was the case in the past, I’d say the phrase ‘a tower of strength’ still applies to me,” commented the 25-year-old, whose role on Carnival Monday in Mainz’s float is not yet clear. Jenz is one of 10 players who will get to be involved, but he’s currently missing a costume. “I still need to think about what I’m going to wear. My first idea was a mullet wig, but I’m not sure about the rest of it.”

“Give our all, get stuck in and be aggressive”

Following the fun of ‘Rosenmontag’, the 05ers are back in Bundesliga action on Saturday (15:30 CET) away to RB Leipzig. This weekend’s hosts are level on points with FSV and just one place behind them in the table. “It’s definitely going to be an interesting game. We’re coming up against one of the best teams in Germany,” previewed Jenz. “I’m preparing myself for a game that’s going to be played at a high intensity. Leipzig will press us high up the pitch. They are really good in possession and can knock the ball about nicely with short passes in the middle of the park. We will have to give our all like we do in every game, get stuck in, be aggressive and play without any fear.”

Bo Henriksen’s team, currently in fifth place, will travel to Leipzig with lots of confidence, though Jenz doesn’t believe the team can start dreaming of Europe with just 23 matchdays played: “Being so high in the table is obviously special for Mainz, but we have to take things one step at a time. There’s no point in talking about qualifying for Europe at this stage of the season,” said Jenz, urging everyone to keep their feet firmly on the ground. “We just have to think about our own games, focus on each match as it comes and then see where we end up at the end of the season – if we finish towards the top of the table, then we’ll have earned the right to play European football.”

Banking on the support of the fans

The next step towards that would be a win in Saxony on Saturday. More than 2,000 Mainzer will make the trip to support the team, and Jenz is always grateful for them: “We were really surprised by how many Mainz fans were in Heidenheim two weeks ago. It’s just what we need and we really value this support as a team. We’re always pleased when a lot of fans support us and we hope that will be the case again in Leipzig this weekend."