Bundesliga side Mainz 05 have suffered three consecutive losses and are in poor form. On Saturday they host record Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, but coach Urs Fischer does not want to say too much about the opponent. Fischer emphasized, "The focus is not on Bayern, the focus is on ourselves, on getting back on track."
Fischer believes the key is "to bring Mainz's strengths onto the pitch." Asked about the matter at Friday's pre-match press conference, the coach said, "I'm just boring like that, you won't hear anything new from me." He explained that the most basic requirements for the game are "running, fighting and battling," adding, "We did these things for a long time. But in the last three or four games, we might have lost a bit of that."
Fischer's past record against Bayern gives him some confidence. In the first meeting, his Mainz side drew 2-2 away at Bayern in his first Bundesliga match in charge of the club; in the return fixture, they led 3-0 at halftime but ultimately lost 3-4. "We looked back at some of the clips again," Fischer said.
The 60-year-old Fischer was reluctant to discuss Amiri not being called up by Germany national team coach Jürgen Klopp. "I will not criticize Jürgen Klopp's squad list," he said. Amiri "can't be angry" now, but must "move forward with his performances on the pitch."