Silly on the outside, serious on the inside.
That was the message Mainz wanted to put forth as the club prepared to host Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. The German club would be would be wearing a new Mainz carnival kit for a fifth straight year and wanted to make sure its fans knew the players would take the match seriously, even if the uniforms were a bit of a joke.
Mainz is renowned for its carnival, which extends from November to Ash Wednesday (March 6 this year). And Mainz fans enjoy carnival atmospheres, as when they sang “Last Christmas” at an away match in December.
As such, it’s become a tradition for Mainz 05, nicknamed the Karnevalsverein (the Carnival club) to sport colorful alternate jerseys to celebrate the carnival. Usually they're not too wild, as with this recent Mainz carnival kit.
This Mainz carnival kit. pic.twitter.com/1a82Wj805y
— Retro Football (@RetroFBall) February 3, 2018
But the club ramped things up this year after having narrowly survived relegation the last two seasons.
The 2019 Mainz carnival kit may just be the most awfully colorful uniforms we’ve ever seen. On the one hand, we love the flamboyance. On the other, barf.
Our carnival kit will be worn in today's game #UpTheMainz #M05B04 pic.twitter.com/kOe625NOis
— Mainz 05 English (@Mainz05en) February 8, 2019
Mainz came out in their Carnival Jerseys today.
Who would rock this? pic.twitter.com/u6u0cWgByI— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 8, 2019
That’s a clown costume, bro.
Before the match, Mainz doubled down on the carnival theme with these carnival singers, who are definitely not clowning around.
But the Mainz carnival kit didn’t bring good fortune to the home side, which was soundly thrashed 5-1 by Bayer Leverkusen. Mainz trailed inside five minutes and was down 4-1 by halftime.
The match was summed up when Mainz's Gerrit Holtmann raced in on goal with only the keeper to beat and instead of rounding the goalie to slot home a late consolation goal, he accidentally kicked the ball out of bounds.
It was not a good day at the carnival for Mainz 05. And they didn’t exactly look good doing it.
Here’s a rundown of the goals from Friday’s match, though you'll have to leave this wonderful page to actually watch the highlights because FOX Soccer is a jerk.
Leverkusen take the early lead!
Wendell puts the away side ahead just 5 minutes into the match! pic.twitter.com/pL1HoiV9mU— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 8, 2019
And just like that we're tied!
Robin Quaison sends it home and ties the game for Mainz. pic.twitter.com/Fdb3qobNVh— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 8, 2019
19-year-old Kai Havertz puts Leverkusen back on pic.twitter.com/znGLsS7Q1m
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 8, 2019
That one-two passing
Leverkusen extend their lead and make it 3-1 just 30 minutes into the match pic.twitter.com/tha1wjVToN— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 8, 2019
Make that 4-1 Leverkusen... in the first half pic.twitter.com/b3qayVITPr
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 8, 2019
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