Mainz 05 Players Face Uncertain Futures Amid Relegation Battle

Mainz 05 is currently avoiding public personnel debates. All energy is focused on the relegation battle, where the club is still one point short of staying in the league. But for Barreiro, Amiri and Papela, the future is more or less clear.

The separation is approaching: Nadiem Amiri (l.) and Leandro Barreiro. IMAGO/Jan Huebner

Sports director Martin Schmidt was not happy that 1-0 goalscorer Leandro Barreiro was asked into the block by the fans. But the outstanding 3-0 win against Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund caused the dams to break. Together with Nadiem Amiri, Barreiro moved into the Q-Block to sing the Humba offenderä via microphone. “Actually, no player should have gone on the fence,” said Schmidt, somewhat contritely. There will only be a big celebration at Mainz 05 when VfL Wolfsburg (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker) has secured their place in the league.

The 24-year-old Barreiro will probably no longer be part of the Mainz 05 squad in the new season. After eight years at Bruchweg, the Luxembourg international with Portuguese roots is moving to Benfica Lisbon, where, according to local media, he will be given a five-year contract. The FSV does not want to confirm the departure, but Schmidt now says that he is “moving towards a change of club”.

Amiri is associated with VfB and Eintracht

Completely different sentiments can be heard when it comes to Nadiem Amiri. The winter addition, which made a decisive contribution to the sporting turnaround at the 05ers, is associated with VfB Stuttgart and Eintracht Frankfurt and could terminate the first division contract, which runs until 2026, due to an exit clause. Internally, however, the FSV assumes that the former Leverkusen reservist’s identification and feel-good factor at FSV is so great that he would like to continue to play his newfound role as a leading player.

Merveille Papela, whose contract like Barreiro’s is expiring, no longer has a future at Bruchweg. The 23-year-old is looking for a new challenge after eleven mostly short Bundesliga appearances this season. The homegrown player was loaned to SV Sandhausen in 2022/23, where his further development was very manageable, even due to an injury.

2024-05-13 15:58:02
#Barreiro #Papela #goodbye #Amiri #Mainz #hope