As proud and driven as on day one

Club captain Silvan Widmer would have pictured a better result in his anniversary match; however, the 05ers delivered one of their most lacklustre performances of the last few months as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Union Berlin. The Switzerland international came on as a substitute for the last half an hour but could not help to shift the tide in his team’s favour. Just a few days after the match, the 31-year-old spoke to us about mainly being used from the bench, his three-and-a-half years in Mainz and aims for this season with FSV.

The full-back described his overarching feeling as “proud” after reaching the milestone appearance, regardless of the end result of the fixture in the German capital. His primary focus lay, however, on his time in Mainz on the whole. Since his arrival on Bruchweg in the summer of 2021, he has spent more than half of his now 42 months at the club as captain, providing leadership for the team both on and off the pitch. “Being appointed as captain was a great honour for me and that pride has never faded since day one. It means a lot to me and I continually aim to give it my all both as a person and a player,” said Widmer, describing his approach to his current role within the team, bringing no less passion than before, despite mainly being called upon as a substitute for the latter stages of matches these days. In light of both the performances of the team and rivals for his position, he can “understand” the decisions of the head coach. Widmer received the set-back of an injury sustained during a shortened summer break due to the European Championships, which also cost him a few weeks of pre-season preparation. “Everyone in sport holds the same feeling of wanting to be out on that pitch but, right now, the others have earned their spots. I’m just trying to make the best of the situation and also to make the coach’s decision as difficult as possible every week by giving it my all every day. I see that as my duty to the team.”

Aims for European qualification

Alongside his personal targets in terms of minutes on the pitch, he is also pleased about the team’s development and performance so far this season – a campaign in which the term ‘relegation battle’ does not need mentioning. “We all know our position in the table a year ago and how much emotion it took to catch up during the spring. We worked hard and gained a lot of self-confidence so we cannot put ourselves down or say we are punching above our weight, because, in my opinion, we deserve to be where we are right now.” Widmer believes that two or three more wins, or “seven or eight points,” are needed to make sure of the club’s top-flight status and much earlier than is often the case. That may only be the start of things, though. “I won’t talk about our aims for after that here since those need discussing internally. We will set goals that we consider realistic and hope to achieve. The sooner we do that the better, then we can think about pushing for the European spots,” said the Switzerland international. In his first two years in Mainz, qualification for continental competition was also within reach, but the side narrowly missed out, finishing in eighth (2021/22) and ninth (2022/23) respectively.

The team are well aware of the fact that performances like the one in Berlin will do little for hopes of playing in Europe next season. “It was clear to see that if not everyone is giving 100% then it’s going to make things tricky against any opponent,” Widmer explained regarding the footballing basics that FSV need to be mastering in every match if they hope to achieve results. On Saturday afternoon against Stuttgart (kick-off 15:30 CET), the aim for the team will be to showcase the determination that characterises the 05ers right from the off in order to get the fans behind them at the MEWA ARENA, which is expected to be sold out. “I’m expecting it to be a hard-fought game against a very good team who are confident on the ball. We will give it all we’ve got from the very first second, as the fans will no doubt be doing as well. If we play as a team, then we are in with a shot. We want to ensure the three points stay here in Mainz,” Widmer emphasised.

“No matter the distance or kick-off time”

In addition to his confidence in the team’s potential, the captain also believes there is another major factor which could help produce a successful season. That being the unwavering backing provided by the Mainz fans, who are giving support in even greater numbers than in previous years, both home and away. The Swiss international has recognised and is very excited about this development. “We are always aware of the amazing support and know we can never take it for granted. It’s always a great feeling seeing the fans in their numbers and even better when we can celebrate with them. We can always rely on them, no matter the distance or kick-off time.” Notable examples of the incredible commitment to the team were the games in Kiel and away to St. Pauli both in the far north at kick-off times that were not exactly fan-friendly. However, the away end was packed to the rafters on both occasions. “Playing away from home with this kind of travelling support is very special, particularly when you win. Although, my personal highlight as a Mainz player was the Wolfsburg match in May. From an emotional point of view, it was by far the most important game during my time here. There was so much riding on the game but the 6,000 Mainz fans, maybe even more, just stayed behind us throughout. That will never be forgotten. It makes us so proud to be able to inspire these fans who invest so much in their support.”