Crazy Mainz: They lose to everyone except Bayern as Bo meets his former boss Tuchel

There isn't much patience for underperforming players and coaches in modern-day football. The higher the level - the less time managers get to turn their team's form around when things aren't going well.

FSV Mainz 05 currently holds the second-to-last position in the table and hasn't secured a victory in twelve matches spanning the current and last season. Their today's game against champions Bayern doesn't improve their situation in the relegation battle. On the flip side, Mainz managed to secure three points against Bayern in their last encounter, with a 3-1 victory back in April. Additionally, there's that special guy, Bo Svensson.

Tuchel coached Svensson at Mainz in 2009 (©AFP)

Mainz's Danish head coach, Svensson, continues to lead the team despite their ongoing struggles, and his Bundesliga track record against Bayern Munich is quite impressive. In some instances, it's even exceptional. There are facts that offer Mainz hope before what appears to be an incredibly challenging task.

For one, Svensson has achieved the remarkable feat of defeating Bayern in the Bundesliga three times, both as a player and as a coach. Only seven individuals have accomplished this at least three times: Otto Rehhagel, Friedhelm Funkel, Jupp Heynckes, Winfried Schafer, Thomas Schaaf, Felix Magath, and Bernd Krauss - all Bundesliga legends.

For the 44-year-old coach, today's game isn't just an incredibly stern test in terms of football but also a chance to measure himself against his friend Thomas Tuchel.

"I don't think our friendship will ever change. It's not like we're talking every day or writing to one another every day, but we have a special story together. I think there is great respect on both sides. It'll be nice to see him again on Saturday. It's a special relationship that I have with him. "

Impressively, Svensson has emerged victorious in all three of his Bundesliga home matches as a coach against Bayern. Only two other coaches have faced Bayern at their own stadium as frequently and won each time: Gunther Baumann and Rudolf Fassnacht, both achieving this three times. Svensson now has the opportunity to set a record: No coach has ever won their first four home games against the Bavarians. The longest home winning streak against FCB was held by legendary Otto Rehhagel, who managed five consecutive home wins against Bayern from 1980 to 1985 with Dusseldorf (1) and Werder Bremen (4).

Svensson must have some secret recipe because he has celebrated more home victories (3) and earned more points (9) against Bayern in three Bundesliga home games than all previous Mainz coaches combined in 14 home matches. Jurgen Klopp, Tuchel, and others could only secure two wins (seven points).

Svensson is the sole individual with a positive Bundesliga record against Bayern, both as a player (three wins, two draws, two losses) and as a coach (three wins and two draws). Is it crazy, then, that Svensson still has hope to mastermind another success against his good friend? No!

"We had a couple of positive results against Bayern of late. A lot of things have to fall into place to make that happen again, though. We have to be at our absolute best, and Bayern maybe not. We'll need the luck on our side in a couple of key situations. The game will also have to develop in the right way – that's also what we saw in our previous victories over Bayern. So, we need a lot of things that are out of our hands to fall into place. We can focus on the things that are in our hands, however. That means we have to perform not only as a group, but every player on the pitch has to reach his maximum potential for us to get a result."

BUNDESLIGA - MATCHDAY 8

Friday

Borussia Dortmund - Werder Bremen 1-0 (0-0)

/Brandt 67/

Saturday

16.30: (6.75) Darmstadt (4.40) RB Leipzig (1.48)

16.30: (1.75) Freiburg (3.60) Bochum (4.90)

16.30: (2.15) Hoffenheim (3.45) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.35)

16.30: (2.60) Union Berlin (3.45) Stuttgart (2.85)

16.30: (4.80) Wolfsburg (3.80) Leverkusen (1.80)

19.30: (9.50) Mainz (6.00) Bayern (1.28)

Sunday

16.30: (2.45) Koln (3.60) M' gladbach (2.95)

18.30: (2.45) Heidenheim (3.50) Augsburg (3.00)

***odds are subject to change***