dYou got it right: perfect. The enthusiasm: enormous. The disappointment: big. Hope: live. The 90 minutes, including review, could be summarized like this FSV Mainz 05 Against Borussia Mönchengladbach from the perspective of Jonathan Burkardt.
After a forced two-match break due to a flu-like infection, the striker returned to the team on Saturday and was immediately placed in the starting lineup, although his fitness was still not optimal. But I liked the mentality and commitment of the 23-year-old. Bo Henriksen He will not miss his third game as Rheinhessen coach.
“Jonny is important for us, he is a team player and knows exactly how we want to play,” said the Dane. “And deep down he is a true Mainzer,” and two days before the match he let him know that he trusted him and would support him.
Second goal
Burkardt is generally considered right-footed, but against Gladbach he showed the power of his left foot. He placed a timely diagonal ball from Jae-sung Lee into the penalty area with the first contact with his right, took a few more steps, and then fired the ball into the top left corner. It was his second goal this season and it did not come by chance, but according to the tactical plan.
“We wanted to find our space half players Brajan Gruda and Lee in the build-up,” explained Burkardt, whom Henriksen had called up as a forward, and praised the South Korean's preparatory work.
“Jae-sung has incredible turns, when he has the ball at his feet he is impressive. I know it and that's why I threw deep immediately.” Seconds later came the wonderful shot, a perfect combination that began with central defender Sepp van den Berg.
High pressure
Double events: When Burkardt scored for the first time this season on February 7, it was also the lead against Union Berlin in a match that ended 1-1. Neither draw satisfied Mainz, but this time the disappointment was even greater. “Gladbach tied in the first action, but then we couldn't keep up our game.”
The successful high press before the break no longer worked as Borussia switched to a five-man chain: Burkardt continued running towards Ko Itakura, who had been withdrawn. “But I also had to keep Julian Weigl in the shadows.” No matter how much he ran, the balance in Mainz's front defense was lost, the rival created advantageous situations and overcame pressure attempts.
On the other hand, the consequences of the infection were evident (not only in Burkardt). In addition to the “small emotional blow” that gave his team the tie, there were physical problems. “I realized I wasn't 100 percent. I tried to give it my all, but I was slow like everyone else,” the forward said.
In mid-November last year, the Darmstadt native would have been happy to play in a Bundesliga match. When he came on as a substitute on matchday 12 at Hoffenheim and was celebrated as a messiah by Mainz fans, he brought to an end more than a year of suffering.
A knee injury suffered in the last game before the World Cup in Qatar, initially treated conservatively and then operated on twice, forced him to postpone his comeback attempt several times. The squad was therefore missing the most successful goalscorer of the 2021/22 season, in which Burkardt scored eleven goals in the league, set up three more and, with three goals in the cup, contributed significantly to the 05ers will reach at least third place. round.
This season marked his breakthrough as a Bundesliga scorer and he was also captain of the German under-21 team, which became European champions under Stefan Kuntz. Burkardt's professional career, which began in the fall of 2018, when he was still a youth player with four first division appearances under Sandro Schwarz, took off. It seemed only a matter of time before the club sold him to a bigger club for a lot of money.
The fast and ball-sure striker has extended his contract with the Bruchweg until the summer of 2027; What a relegation of Mainz to the second division would mean is another question. As long as the team can at least reach the relegation zone, it will not compete. With the draw against Gladbach, they moved closer to within one point of 1.FC Köln. And next Saturday in Munich? “It will be a difficult game,” says Burkardt. “But with a performance like Leverkusen's we can hurt Bayern.”