Mainz 05 play an away match in the Bundesliga against Hamburger SV on Sunday at 3:30 PM. The game is overshadowed by the potential debut of HSV's new stars Fabio Vieira and Zakarias El Ouahdi.
HSV coach Merlin Polzin, 35, faces a decision on integrating the two new signings. "Both are at different stages of preparation. El Ouahdi has played recently, is top fit." Polzin said. HSV sporting director Claus Costa (42) orchestrated the signings. For Mainz 05, it's the second match of the season following a goalless draw in their opener, which placed the Zerofivers 10th in the table.
Zakarias El Ouahdi joined from KRC Genk as a right-back. The 24-year-old has recent match practice and is considered ready for action. His new teammate Fabio Vieira is 26 and only recently started training. His match sharpness is therefore not yet fully developed. Coach Polzin warned against rushing the players into the first team to avoid injury risks. Captain Nicolai Remberg (26) will need to integrate the new forces into the squad.
Mainz 05 started the 2026/27 Bundesliga season with one point from one match. The record shows zero goals scored and zero conceded with a goal difference of zero. This places FSV in tenth position in the standings, already two points behind leaders Bayern Munich in the title race. The team managed by coach... Is looking for its first win in the second match of the campaign. The complete overview of the current table can be found on our standings page.
For Mainz 05, the encounter represents a first real away test. The team must adapt to the dynamism of HSV's attack, which could gain width from the new options. The Zerofivers' defense, which kept a clean sheet in the first game, again faces the task of defending a zero. Individual duels on the flanks will be decisive, especially if El Ouahdi starts the match.
Regardless of Sunday's result, Mainz 05's season objective remains clearly defined. Coach Polzin emphasized that the ambitions are not altered by the opponent's new signings. FSV is focused on its own path. The next fixture on the fixtures schedule is already set: On September 6, 2026, Mainz 05 hosts SC Freiburg at the Mewa Arena. Until then, the team wants to find further building blocks for a successful season. The current squad is available to view on our squad page.
