Mainz 05 are a mid-table club in the Bundesliga.

They have not been relegated to the 2. Bundesliga since the 2009/10 season, when they’d been promoted to the first division the season before.

Their record may not be that impressive, as their favourite place to finish in the Bundesliga is 13th.

However, this season could be different for them.

They could end up in the best position they have ever achieved in this Bundesliga period, surpassing the 2015/16 campaign when they finished sixth under Martin Schmidt (their current sporting director).

Mainz currently sits third in the Bundesliga with 45 points from 26 games.

They are also on a run of form, having gone unbeaten in their last six league games, winning four of them.

At that time, they conceded just four goals and scored 11.

The “Karnevalsverein” also beat Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig this season.

And these are impressive results.

Therefore, it is interesting to analyse the exact reason(s) behind Mainz’s success under Bo Henriksen this term.

This article is a tactical analysis of 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the 2024/2025 Bundesliga season.

It covers everything, from their excellent defensive play, thanks to their intense pressing, to their collective danger in attack, thanks to clever positioning and combinations.

Bo Henriksen Intense Pressing Tactics

Under Bo Henriksen style of play, intensity has become a keyword for Mainz, which translates perfectly to their pressing style.

If we examine the passes per defensive action (PPDA) numbers in the Bundesliga, Mainz easily ranks among the top three.

Their PPDA numbers have reached 10.46 so far this season.

For context, PPDA is one of the metrics that can be used to measure pressing intensity.

The smaller the number, the more intense the pressing.

In Mainz‘s case, this means they usually create a defensive action for every 10.46 passes by the opponent in order to win the ball back quickly.

Mainz typically employs man-to-man pressing against the opponent’s build-up, and they are very aggressive.

Their players can execute effective defensive actions (tackling, intercepting, and duelling) in the opponent‘s half.

This season, Mainz are in the top five for the number of tackles made in the opponent‘s defensive third.

The combination of their intense pressing, aggressive defensive action, and man-to-man marking often creates dilemmas for the opponent: they will go long upfront or force the opponent to take a risk pass, as the target passing is under pressure.

Both options are beneficial for Mainz since the opponents have a high chance of losing the ball quickly.

This season, Mainz has the highest number of opponent danger possessions lost with 30.71.

This metric shows the opponent‘s unsuccessful passes, lost dribbles, or bad touches near their goal.

For Mainz, it shows that they are the best team in the league in terms of making their pressing effective.

If their first line of pressing fails, when the opponent brings the ball to the Mainz half, Mainz will defend in the mid-block and pack the central area so the opponent can‘t attack through that part of the pitch.

Mainz would like the opponent to move their attack wide—there, they can press aggressively again with numerical superiority.

If the opponent brings the ball directly up front, Mainz defenders will aggressively cover the opponent’s players in man-to-man marking.

They will jump to the opponent if they start to drop deep to receive the ball.

Mainz players ensure the opponent doesn’t have enough space and time to turn their body and start attacking.

Mainz will do anything to make their opponents uncomfortable in possession, which will cause them to lose the ball quickly.

No team in the league have dispossessed their opponents more than Mainz this season.

By often putting their opponents in uncomfortable situations, Mainz are able to reduce the threat of the attack they are facing.

This season, Mainz are the best team in terms of minimising shots on target against them.

Only 29.1% of the shots they have faced so far this season have been on target.

They also have the second-best record for non-penalty expected goals against in the league, with only 0.10 per 90 minutes.

That‘s why, in total, they only conceded 28 goals from 26 games this season—the second-best in the league after Bayern.

Mainz Narrow Offensive Structure

In an interview with the Allgemeine Zeitung, Bo Henriksen said that one of the things that has pleased him about Mainz’s progress this season has been the way they have become more dangerous in the half-spaces and have more possession in the final third.

That really sums up Mainz’s attack this season.

They are really good at attacking in the half-spaces and using short combinations or crosses to attack the opposition through that zone.

This is possible because Henriksen doesn’t play a wide player up front in his 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation.

Instead, he uses two second-strikers who operate in half space, flanking centre-forward Jonathan Burkardt.

These two second-strikers are usually Jae Sung-Lee and Paul Nebel.

These three players are the key to Mainz’s short combination attack.

It’s not just because of their positioning that they are so close to each other; they are also very functional.

They can receive the ball in the half-space area and then accelerate into the penalty area, or they can position themselves there to act as a “wall”—to hold the ball up, let the midfielder or wing-back move forward and then pass the ball to them.

This variety in their play makes Mainz’s attacks more unpredictable.

Mainz also has a typical attacking pattern: They often set up a triangle with three players positioned close together, and any one of them can make the third man run.

So, one player will run into the space behind the opponent’s defensive line.

And not just between attackers but also between wing-backs and midfielders.

Alternatively, Mainz could use their narrow positioning as bait to force the opposition’s defence into a narrow structure.

This gives Mainz an advantage in attacking the wide areas, as they’re usually unprotected, with the opposition’s full-backs or wing-backs positioned close to their centre-backs.

Under Henriksen, Mainz really does look like a clever team when it comes to short combinations and running with a third man.

And all the players can be involved.

That’s why Mainz doesn’t rely on one or two players to create chances.

Regarding assists, left wing-back Anthony Caci has the most with seven.

However, when it comes to expected assists, Nadiem Amiri, Lee, and Nebel are all capable of creating chances.

Another wingback, Philipp Mwene, can also be relied upon to create for his teammates.

When it comes to creating shots, it is interesting to note how Mainz approaches their crosses.

They don’t usually send crosses high into the air but rather flatten them out on the ground or cut them back.

That’s why, according to Opta, they are in the top five in terms of number of crosses and in the top six in terms of percentage.

When you look at the Mainz crossing map, it seems obvious that this strategy is working, as they often find the target in the danger zone (close to the opposition goal).

Mainz 05 Crossing Zones Map

Mainz 05 Tactics: Collectiveness With Individual Standouts

Mainz has been outstanding this season, and the key to their success has been Bo Henriksen’s ability to get his team to play collectively well, both defensively and offensively.

They are skilled at pressuring opponents and aggressive in their play.

When it comes to attacking, they know how to play effectively with short combinations and strike at the right pace.

But it is also fair to say that Henriksen has gotten the better of some players.

He has made them stand out in Mainz’s collective approach this season.

There are at least three names to mention: Jonathan Burkardt, Nadiem Amiri and Robin Zentner.

Burkardt has become a Bundesliga star this season.

So far, he has scored 14 goals from open play at just 8.68 xG.

He may not have the athleticism of strikers like Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Viktor Gyökeres, or Patrick Schick.

Still, Burkardt is very clinical and also very clever at finding space and where to shoot.

Jonathan Burkardt Shots Map

The 24-year-old can score after running cleverly into space behind the opposition’s defensive line because he knows how to escape the offside trap.

He is also very clever at maximising his opponent’s blind spot.

If the opposition centre-back concentrates on the ball, Burkardt can make runs or moves that put him in the best position to receive the ball and shoot.

Amiri, meanwhile, has become one of the best two-way midfielders in the league.

He can create chances for Mainz from open play or set-pieces and can also be an alternative goalscorer.

He has six goals and three assists this season.

He also sits in the top 10 in the league regarding chances created.

Nadiem Amiri Shot Assists Map

Defensively, Amiri’s numbers are also very good.

No player in the Bundesliga has won more possession this season.

He also won over 50% of his tackles and made 2.39 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

Amiri is clever at positioning himself for tackles and defensive actions and pressuring the opposition when Mainz are out of possession.

Last but not least is Zentner, the goalkeeper.

He is already 30 years old and has spent most of his career at Mainz, but it is fair to say that this season has been his best.

He has nine clean sheets so far this season and only needs two more to surpass his all-time best, but that’s not his most impressive statistic.

His 77.5% save percentage is the best in the league, and his +5.4 goals-against average is the second-best in the league.

In total, he has already made 10.76 saves this season.

Zentner can make a lot of good saves as his positioning is getting better and better.

Bo Henriksen’s Mainz Areas To Improve

If there’s one area Mainz can improve upon in this excellent season, it’s their ability to prevent transitions.

So far this season, they have often made tactical fouls to prevent their opponents from counterattacking, but this has also cost them some risks

Mainz have committed too many fouls, 315 in all, the third most in the Bundesliga, and have also collected the fifth most yellow cards and the second most red cards.

Losing players to suspension is not the ideal situation for a consistent winner.

However, if they don’t succeed in stopping the opposition’s positive transition with a foul, they will be faced with a situation in which they lack the numerical superiority to defend.

Mainz’s defenders often find themselves in one-on-one situations with their opponents, which makes it easy for them to find space, get through, and create chances.

Mainz needs to be smarter to prevent that.

In general, Henriksen’s approach has been very strong this season, making Mainz a contender for a place in the European competition.

At times, however, Mainz can look stuck in its plan when it’s in control and facing aggressive pressure from its opponents.

They seem to lack ideas.

That’s why it would be beneficial for them in terms of a top-four or top-six finish if Henriksen could find more variety in his in-game adjustments, especially when Mainz are playing as a dominant side.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why Mainz are currently sitting in the top three of the Bundesliga.

Most importantly, they have been clever out of possession, using an intense and aggressive press to disrupt their opponents’ build-up and dispossess them as quickly as possible.

As a result, they have the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga, behind only Bayern.

Offensively, Mainz are a team that is collectively excellent.

Their narrow positioning in a 3-4-2-1 formation makes it easy for them to create short combinations in the attacking third, especially in the half-space area.

Mainz also attacks with a high tempo, making it easy for them to disrupt the opposition’s defensive structure.

This collective performance also helps individual players, such as Jonathan Burkardt, Nadiem Amiri, and Robin Zentner, stand out.

They’ve been in fine form this season, which is why the first two have been called up to the Germany squad for the international break as they prepare for the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League.

Mainz are on the right track and in a good position to qualify for the Champions League.

They are doing a lot of the right things tactically to prove they deserve to be in the top flight next season.

However, to do so, they need to improve their off-the-ball structure and strategy for the remainder of the season, as well as their in-game adjustments.