Mainz players 'champagne ambush' head coach Bo Henriksen at press conference
A 2-2 draw against defending Bundesliga Champions Bayer Leverkusen yesterday proved sufficient for Mainz 05 to qualify for Europa League football next season. The point gained – combined with the fact that RB Leipzig lost against VfB Stuttgart – translated to a seventh place finish for Bo Henrisken's Rheinhessen. Mainz are back in Europe for the first time in nine years. They will contest the UEL group phase for just the second time in their history.
True to form, Henriksen generated plenty of laughs yesterday at his post-match press conference. The colorful Dane began by congratulating the man sitting opposite him, Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso, on the move to Real Madrid that has all but been confirmed. All members of the assembled media chuckled as Henriksen brought up the biggest open secret in German football.
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'Congratulations on your new job,' Henriksen said in English to a wave of snickers. 'I don't know. You probably have a new job.'
'It was a lot of fun,' Henriksen noted in German when speaking on the day's match. 'That was emotional. That was football. The last day of the season. Just like last year. It's unbelievable.
'Of course we're looking forward to the new challenge,' Henriksen continued.
At that point, the 50-year-old had to break off as a cadre of players entered the press room. Danny da Costa and Paul Nebel were among a group of five players led by squad captain Silvan Widmer who bum-rushed their coach carrying bottles of champagne and beer.
After completely drenching Henriksen, Widmer loudly proclaimed in English 'you deserve this man!'
'Oh for God's sake, man!' Henriksen managed to say once it was all over.
GGFN | Peter Weis
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