Mainz will host FC Zrinycki in the second round of the 2025/26 UEFA European Association League. Head coach Bo Henriksson said his team must improve their defensive energy and should not be afraid of making mistakes.

In the earlier Bundesliga match, Mainz lost to Leverkusen 3-4 despite being in the lead thanks to goals from Lee Jae-sung, Nadim Amiri and Amindo Sib, and suffered three consecutive defeats.

When talking about the team's recent goal conceding problem, Mainz coach Bo Henriksen said, "Conceding 8 goals in two games is obviously not ideal. We must defend better, which is our recent focus. Defense is the most important part of football, and defending well requires energy. We ran a lot against Leverkusen, but we need to be smarter, and the past two games have taught us important lessons. This week's training has been effective and everyone is staying healthy."

"This is a game we have to win and I have a good feeling that everyone knows what to do. The key is not the system, but the energy and intensity. It is a question of mentality. We can't be afraid of making mistakes. Playing football should be fun. We hope to go into the next game against Stuttgart with a positive attitude."

As for their opponent Zlyniński, Bo Henriksson said, "We are facing a very strong team. They are currently first in the standings and second in the league, and have conceded only four goals in 10 games. They have a solid defense and are very experienced. This game will definitely be difficult, but we are the favorites and we want to win. If we can get three points, it will be very beneficial for our situation."

Regarding the lineup, Bo Henriksen said, "Robin Zentner is back, which is incredibly important for us. He's an excellent goalkeeper and a true leader for the team. He's performed very well over the past 20 months and has been indispensable both on and off the pitch."

"William Bowen is in great form in training. I told him to put in more effort and give a little more in every training session. I believe we will see more of his performance in the next few weeks."

Mainz set to face Zrinjkibo, Henriksen calls for defensive work