After a break of 134 days, Maxim Leitsch celebrates his comeback in the Mainz 05 jersey. Also back on board: Stefan Bell. According to sports director Martin Schmidt, the transfer plans are over.
Long break over: Maxim Leitsch (left) got involved again.
picture alliance / SVEN SIMON
Ironically, he was allowed to play again against VfL Bochum. After a good hour of play, Maxim Leitsch slipped on the jersey with the number 5 and was substituted on when the score was 4:0. “It was very important for Maxim to come in against his former club and show that I’m back, I’m fit again,” said sporting director Schmidt. At first it was a bit bumpy. Because three other players were relatively fresh on the pitch, the 05 defense first had to regroup. However, shortly before the end, Leitsch “excellently solved a defensive action”, as Schmidt confirmed. “You take something like that with you as a player. It was very, very important for Maxim after he was out for four months to experience that it also works on a higher stage,” the sporting director continued.
There are 134 days between Leitsch’s last game on September 16 and the comeback. The 24-year-old was diagnosed with physical and mental exhaustion. A gradual process, as it turned out afterwards, at some point in the fall nothing worked anymore. Leitsch missed team training for months and was carefully built up. There were clear signs of progress during the winter preparations in Marbella at the beginning of January. “If someone had told me that Maxim would play his first minutes in the Bundesliga again on January 28th, I wouldn’t have believed it. He’s been physically stable over the last few weeks,” said Svensson happily. “Personally, it means a lot to me,” said the coach. In terms of sport, he also expects a gain from the return: “He came into the game in a difficult phase, we conceded two goals straight away, after five minutes he did well. He gives us more alternatives and from now on Maxim will only get even better.”
Svensson: “Bell’s game was top-notch”
After the substitution of left-footed Leitsch, Edimilson Fernandes moved into the middle of the back three and you could tell that Bell’s controlling hand and header power were missing. This had signaled that he had to be replaced. On Sunday it was said from Mainz that it was a precautionary measure, Bell’s appearance on Wednesday in the DFB Cup against FC Bayern (8.45 p.m., LIVE! at kicker) was not in danger. “A lot of people talk about Karim Onisiwo and his goals. Bell played such a game against an unpleasant opponent without a friendly, that was top quality,” praised Svensson, who realized relatively early on that Bell “is the right person for this game”.
Schmidt: “We’re hoping for three peaceful days before the end of the transfer”
The transfer window closes on Tuesday at 6 p.m. “We hope for three peaceful days and won’t pick up the phone anymore,” said a relaxed sports director Schmidt. Mainz 05 closed two gaps in the squad by buying Andreas Hanche-Olsen (2.5 million transfer fee) and Ludovic Ajorque (6 million). Only Niklas Tauer, whose loan contract with Schalke 04 runs for 18 months, was handed over.
