Frankfurt is fighting, Mainz is on the upswing, Offenbach is under pressure, Wehen is in the final
By Stephan Köhnlein – Eintracht Frankfurt is struggling, Mainz is on the upswing, Offenbach is nervous, and Wehen Wiesbaden is looking forward to a final and a visit from the record champions – that's how things currently look for the four other big clubs in the Rhine-Main area.
Frankfurt
Seven points from four games in March, a bitter 1-2 derby defeat against Mainz, and continued anxiety about Europa League qualification to avoid a complete season disaster – even under new head coach Albert Riera, Eintracht Frankfurt has yet to achieve a fundamental upward trend. However, despite the uncertain sporting situation, personnel planning for the new season is already in full swing.
Mario Götze, the 2014 World Cup winner and now, at 33, in the twilight of his career, is likely to receive a new contract. In contrast, former German international Mahmoud "Mo" Dahoud will no longer play for Eintracht Frankfurt next season. The contract of the 30-year-old midfielder, who joined the club from Brighton in 2024, expires at the end of the season and will not be renewed. Dahoud struggled under coach Riera and wasn't even included in the squad for the defeat in Mainz. Hugo Larsson (21) has also expressed openness to a transfer. This Bundesliga season, the central midfielder, signed from Malmö FF in the summer of 2023, has scored one goal and provided two assists in 20 appearances.
Mainz
Mainz 05 continues its upward trend, remaining undefeated throughout March. In the league, they recorded one draw and two wins – including a celebrated 2-1 derby victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, thanks to two goals from Paul Nebel. This performance increased coach Urs Fischer's team's distance from the relegation zone and moved them into the lower half of the table.
Meanwhile, on the European stage, the club achieved its greatest success to date: In the Conference League, the team reached the quarterfinals for the first time thanks to a 2-0 victory against Sigma Olomouc. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, center-back Stefan Posch broke the deadlock with a header immediately after the break. Forward Armindo Sieb then sealed the 2-0 victory in the 83rd minute. In April, they will face Racing Strasbourg. The fixture is also attractive for fans of both clubs: Strasbourg and Mainz are separated by just 200 kilometers.
Offenbach
Final missed: Kickers Offenbach were eliminated in the Hessen Cup semi-final against league rivals SG Barockstadt Fulda-Lehnerz. The visitors prevailed 3-2 on penalties in the match at the Bieberer Berg stadium. However, there was a recent success in the league, with a 2-0 home win against third-division relegated side SV Sandhausen. This marked the team's first victory under new coach Mark Zimmermann, who took over from the dismissed Kristjan Glibo on March 12th.
The 52-year-old Zimmermann coached Hallescher FC in the 2024/25 season, leading them to second place in the Regionalliga Nordost (fourth tier). As a player, he made nine Bundesliga appearances for Unterhaching and also played 187 second-division matches for clubs including Jena, Aachen, and the Stuttgarter Kickers. However, he will have to do without captain Maximilian Rossmann in the fight to avoid relegation. The defender suffered a torn left patellar tendon in the 1-3 defeat against SG Sonnenhof Großaspach.
Wehen Wiesbaden
Following a 4-0 victory against regional league side Germania Ober-Roden, Wehen Wiesbaden has reached the final of the Hesse Cup. The final will take place on May 23rd at the Stadion am Bieberer Berg in Offenbach against SG Barockstadt Fulda-Lehnerz. The winner will qualify for the first round of the DFB Cup.
SVWW still has hopes of getting involved in the promotion race. With eight matchdays remaining, they are six points behind the third-place relegation playoff spot. In any case, there will be something to celebrate this summer, as SV Wehen turns 100 years old this year. On Saturday, July 25th, SVWW will therefore host record champions FC Bayern Munich at the Brita-Arena in Wiesbaden.
Beyond the Lilies – News from Frankfurt, Mainz, Offenbach and Wehen
Stephan Köhnlein is the editor-in-chief of the independent online magazine Lilienblog, which focuses on SV Darmstadt 98. In this section, he takes a monthly look beyond the Lilies to the other football clubs in the Rhine-Main area.
