Mainz remain hopeful of Champions League football after skid: “Still in fourth place.”

Talk of “Bundesliga Cinderellas” Mainz pulling off a sensational Champions League qualification has cooled somewhat after a string of disappointing league results. Bo Henriksen’s Rheinhessen are now winless in three games after drawing against Freiburg, losing to Borussia Dortmund, and only managing a point against lowly Holstein Kiel on Saturday.

The fact that Mainz drew the league’s last-placed side 1-1 at home this weekend isn’t necessarily indicative of a team with the grandest European aspirations. Henriksen, club sporting director Nico Bungert, and striker Nelson Weiper nevertheless remained optimistic when commenting on the result. Die Nullfünfter still cling to fourth place in the table.

“Of course, we wanted more,” Weiper told Sky Germany after the full-time whistle. “Today proved that no game should be taken for granted. [But] We have a very good chance of doing it [qualifying for the Champions League] and I believe that we can.“

“We knew our high couldn’t last forever,” Bungert remarked in the mixed zone. “But we won’t be driving ourselves nuts. We’re in fourth place and have the chance to fight for something special. We want to keep the mood positive.:”

“It’s a good thing that we’re disappointed,” Henriksen said at the post-match press conference when asked about the last three games. “It’s important that we’re not satisfied with a point.”