Football Season Guide

Mainz decision to stick with Sandro Schwarz despite a major slump in form midway through the campaign paid dividends as the club managed to steer clear of the relegation zone and finish in a respectable mid-table position. Mainz have looked to cull the deadwood during the transfer window and have let go a number of players with Emil Berggreen, Gaetan Bussmann, Giulio Donati and Jannik Huth all leaving on free transfers while Rene Adler and Niko Bungert have both retired. They have lost just one first choice player with Jean-Philippe Gbamin completing a big money move to Everton though Mainz are reasonably well-stocked in the central midfield position and should be able to cope with his departure. They have spent the money improving their backline, not surprisingly, considering only five teams had a worse defensive record and three of them being relegated. Aaron Martin's loan move has been converted into a permanent transfer while Mainz have also splashed the cash on Feyenoord defender Jeremiah St. Juste. Edimilson Fernandes has been brought in to replace Gbamin while Ronael Pierre-Gabriel and Jonathan Meier will provide depth at rightback and leftback positions. There have been lots of changes to the squad in the summer for Mainz who will be heading into the opening week of the campaign with the news that last season's top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta will be missing the first three months of the campaign due to injury. Schwarz will be hoping Ji Dong-Won and Taiwo Awoniyi will settle down quickly and cover for Mateta's absence as he looks to improve from the last season and aim for a place in the top half.