During the training match on Tuesday, the VfB players were not only battling against the players on the opposing team, but also against the horrendous conditions with a fierce wind and driving rain. It was under those circumstances that, having enjoyed Monday off, Hannes Wolf’s men began preparations for this Saturday’s away clash with 1. FSV Mainz 05 (kick-off 15:30 CET). The group again included Dzenis Burnic, who missed out on Sunday due to an infection.
The Cannstatt Boys have already gone up against Mainz twice this season. During the first half of the campaign, VfB secured a 1-0 victory on Match-Day 2. Shortly before the turn of the year however, the side in the shirts with the infamous red hoop bowed out of the DFB-Cup in the ‘Round of 16’ with a 1-3 defeat away to FSV.
One man who should have particularly positive memories of previous clashes with 1. FSV Mainz 05 is undoubtedly. On September 17th, 2005, the then 20-year-old scored his first ever Bundesliga goal for VfB, in the 88th minute of a 2-1 win over the side from the Rhine-Hessen region. No-one at VfB would have anything against a repeat of that result again this Saturday.