Overview
- Strasbourg, which fell 2-0 in Thursday's Europa Conference League quarterfinal first leg in Mainz, conceded twice inside 19 minutes and could not turn late pressure into a goal.
- To advance next week at La Meinau, the French side must win by three goals, while a two-goal margin would only force extra time under two-leg rules.
- Mainz have surged since Urs Fischer took over in December, using pressing and fast breaks to good effect with recent wins over Frankfurt and Hoffenheim and few defeats in 2026.
- Strasbourg were without top scorer Joaquín Panichelli through injury as captain Emmanuel Emegha returned off the bench, and tempers boiled over late with scuffles between players and staff.
- In France on Friday, Paris FC thrashed Monaco 4-1 to stop a seven-match league streak and Marseille beat Metz 3-1 to move provisionally third, a day after PSG Handball drew 35-35 with Veszprém and went out on aggregate.