Mainz and Danny Da Costa are cherishing the prospect of European football

Gegenpressing caught up with Mainz right-back Danny da Costa to chat about his club's push for a spot in Europe and the excellent work of head coach Bo Svensson.

Despite a disappointing result against Schalke on Friday, Mainz very much remain in the race for a spot in Europe. The Karnevalsverein are currently eighth, just three points behind sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who occupy the UEFA Conference League spot. “I think we can already consider this season as a success,” Danny da Costa said to Gegenpressing, when asked what would constitute a successful season. 

The 29-year-old right-back joined Mainz from rivals Eintracht Frankfurt on a permanent transfer last summer after spending the previous season on loan at the club and has been a crucial part of a team that is enjoying a sneakily good season. “When I came here, everyone said: ‘We want to reach the 40 points as fast as possible, and then we can see what is possible afterward,’” Da Costa said. 

That 40-point benchmark, of course, is seen as a crucial benchmark for clubs in the mushy middle of the Bundesliga. Throughout the history of the league, no club has ever been relegated with 40 points—in fact, the benchmark is lower, at around 38 points. For Mainz and Da Costa, therefore, everything that is coming now is a bonus in what has been a strong season already. 

For Mainz, in fact, there is a good chance this could be a special season. Although Mainz are often just considered an annex to the bustling metropolis of Frankfurt, the city is actually the capital of the Rhineland-Palatinate, and this season at least, has a good chance of finishing ahead of what still remains one of their main rivals.