In Mainz, he has found his top form again, has become the team's absolute backbone, and was even rewarded for his performances with a nomination for the recent World Cup.
So it's no surprise that transfer rumors surrounding Nadiem Amiri surfaced faster than you can say "05."
Now there is clarity about the attacker's future: on Saturday evening, Amiri announced that he will stay at Mainz 05.
During the fan evening in Kirchbichl, where Mainz are currently holding their training camp, he declared: "A lot has been written in recent weeks and days. There were many rumors, and I also had a lot of offers. But together with my family, I decided to stay here." This was reported, among others, by 'Kicker'.
For his decision, he was rewarded with loud applause from the fans in attendance.

#World

Nadiem Amiri has now ended speculation surrounding his future by confirming that he will remain with Mainz 05 for the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. The 29-year-old recently picked up some media attention, not to mention some flak from club supporters, for refusing to commit to fully commit to the Rheinhessen ahead of the forthcoming Bundesliga season.
The 29-year-old German international made the announcement on Saturday evening during a meeting with supporters at Mainz's Austrian training camp in Kirchbichl. Amiri laid to rest all reports that he was considering a move to RB Leipzig.
"I did have a lot of offers, but my family and I decided that I would definitely stay here," Amiri said to thunderous applause from the ******* embled Mainz supporters.
Amiri remains under contract with Mainz through the summer of 2028. The midfielder has developed into one of the club's most important players and established himself as a senior German international since arriving from Leverkusen in January 2024.
His decision represents a significant boost for head coach Urs Fischer ahead of the new season. Mainz will retain a central creative figure, experienced leader and one of the most productive midfielders in the squad.

#amiri #bundesliga #international

Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in adding Kaishu Sano to their squad after closely following the Mainz 05 defensive midfielder over the last few months.
The ****** an international has established himself as one of the finest players in his position in the Bundesliga and has continued to impress with his performances for Mainz. His consistent displays have attracted interest from several clubs looking to strengthen their midfield options.
Sano is a tough-tackling, ball-playing midfielder who would suit the system Mikel Arteta currently employs at ****** nal. The Gunners believe his qualities could strengthen their midfield and provide another reliable option for the squad.
Liverpool are another club reported to be interested in signing the midfielder as they look to improve their own squad. However, it remains to be seen whether Mainz 05 will be willing to part with one of their key players before the transfer window closes.
According to Bulinews, Mainz 05 sporting director Christian Heidel has addressed Sano's future as the club prepares for the new season, with interest in the midfielder continuing to grow.

#mainz #arsenal

Mainz 05 and German national team midfielder Nadiem Amiri has declined to guarantee that he will remain with the club beyond the summer transfer window, insisting that he does not wish to make a promise he may later be unable to keep. The 29-year-old addressed his future during Mainz's training camp in Hopfgarten, Austria, amid continued speculation surrounding a potential move to RB Leipzig.
Asked whether he would play for Mainz during the 2026/27 campaign, Amiri directly dismissed the links in a rather glib and formulaic fashion. As quoted by Kicker, however, Amiri effectively admitted that he would be moving on once the right opportunity arises.
"Right now, Mainz 05 is the only thing on my mind and everything else is unimportant," Amiri said. "Things can always change. That's why I didn't commit to Mainz at the end of last season either. I don't want to disappoint the fans. I'm not the type to say, 'I'm staying here' and then be gone three weeks later."
Recent reports suggested that Amiri remained keen on joining RB Leipzig and had reached a basic agreement with the Saxon club. Kicker now reports that Leipzig have not submitted an offer, while Amiri himself sought to play down the speculation entirely.
"They're not even an issue," the former Leverkusen midfielder said. "Someone had an idea, but neither Mainz, Leipzig, nor I have said anything about it. Why should we even address it now?"

#right

Kaishu Sano has been linked with a move away from Mainz 05, with Liverpool and ****** nal among the clubs reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old defensive midfielder.
Speaking to Bild, Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel gave his thoughts on the growing interest in the ****** anese international.
"We don't have to sell Kaishu and can afford to keep him. If he stays, there will be a lot of happy people in the team, at the club, and around it," Heidel said.
However, he admitted that Mainz would have to consider a sale if an offer that was too good to refuse arrived.
"It's always the same at Mainz 05. If an offer comes in that leaves us gasping for air, we have to think about it," Heidel said.

#kaishu

Speaking in front of the media for the first time since officially being announced as Germany’s new head coach, Jürgen Klopp has set boundaries with the media and the DFB.
DFB President, Bernd Neuendorf, kicked off the press conference by stating what had occurred to get here and how pleased they are to have the former Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, and Liverpool man on board:
“We’ve had very intensive talks in recent weeks. He was our preferred solution from the beginning; we were all in agreement on that within the ******* ociation. We made every effort to bring Jürgen Klopp on board. He is the best solution.”
Neuendorf also confirmed that Klopp’s staff will include Peter Krawietz, Pepijn Lijnders, and Sven Bender. Per Mertesacker will also replace the outgoing Andreas Rettig as DFB Managing Director at the end of 2026.
Before setting out his stall, Klopp firstly took time to reflect on the previous weeks and securing the role:

#neuendorf #solution

Good Vibes in the Kitzbühel Alps: Head coach Markus Högner painted a positive picture of the BVB Women following their week-long training camp: “The conditions here are excellent. We’ve developed a playbook and are working on our principles both offensively and defensively.” On the well-maintained training fields in Austria, Markus Högner noted the team’s exceptional dedication, and he added that they were also having plenty of fun during recreational activities—which are especially important for integrating the seven new signings.
After just two training sessions, the BVB Women kicked off their summer preparations with a 5–2 friendly win against Eintracht Frankfurt II. Three new signings—Lara Schmidt, Ramona Maier, and Jacqueline Meißner—all scored in their first appearance for the Black and Yellows. Ahead of the friendly against Bundesliga promoted side Mainz 05, the head coach explained: “During the first week of training, there was still too much initial frantic activity in some situations. We’re improving from session to session and are looking forward to a hard-fought test against the Mainz women.”
A perfect start for the Black and Yellows: Markus Högner’s team came out determined and started energetically at the Hopfgarten sports field. The early stages were dominated by a confident BVB Women team, which was awarded its second corner kick as early as the seventh minute. After a set piece taken by Rita Schumacher, the ball found its way to Alex Popp, who clinically headed home her first chance of the game to give BVB a 1-0 lead (7th minute)—her debut goal for the Black and Yellows! Just three minutes later, the BVB Women were awarded a penalty kick. Rita Schumacher, last season’s top scorer, stepped up and slotted the ball into the right corner to make it 2–0 (10th minute).
There was no sign of the pace slowing down: The early one-two punch served as a wake-up call for the Mainz women, who pulled one back in the 21st minute after a long ball found striker Fetaj’s head. And the action continued in quick succession. On one end, goal-scorer Alex Popp was in exactly the right spot on a set piece, but her second header hit only the crossbar. In the immediate counterattack, Mainz 05 shifted gears and tied the game at 2–2 (28th minute) through Leonie Stöhr, who tapped in a cross from two meters out.
In the back-and-forth offensive exchange between the two teams, the BVB Women found another answer. Sixty seconds after the equalizer: Ramona Maier finished off a pinpoint through ball from Noreen Günnewig with a one-touch finish into the left corner to regain the lead—3–2 in the 29th minute. For Maier, who joined BVB from SGS Essen this summer, it was already her second goal in her second game for the BVB Women.

#minute #ball

Former Germany international Lewis Holtby has announced the end of his career on Tuesday. The 35-year-old last played for Eredivisie side NAC Breda, where he regularly featured after his last Bundesliga experience with Holstein Kiel.
The central midfielder previously played for Schalke, Bochum, Mainz and Hamburg in Germany's top-flight league. He also appeared in over 100 2. Bundesliga games with three clubs.
A Fritz Walter gold medalist at the U19 age group in 2009, Holtby also played for English clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers. After making his Bundesliga breakthrough with Thomas Tuchel's Mainz in the 2010/11 season, he won his only trophy when Schalke beat fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund in the 2012 German Supercup.
Holtby scored 26 goals in 225 Bundesliga games. The Erkelenz native played three times for the Germany national team, with his only competitive appearance coming as a late substitute in a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan during the Euro 2012 qualifiers.
"It's time to say goodbye. After almost 20 years as a pro, my active career ends today. I leave the pitch with pride, humility, and endless gratitude. But one thing is certain: I will never turn my back on soccer. This game will always be a part of me, and I'm looking forward to what's next." Holtby wrote on Instagram.

#mainz #Career #games

After Liverpool were linked with a move for Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano by **** anese outlet Nikkan Sports towards the end of last month, Sport Bild are now also reporting on the interest.
An article in Wednesday's edition of the German magazine states that Sano is expected to leave Mainz this summer and that Liverpool are willing to pay €60 million for the defensive midfielder.
Such a deal would make Sano by far the most expensive departure in Mainz's history, with the current record held by Brajan Gruda, who was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for €31.5 million in 2024.
Sano's market value was estimated at €40 million by Transfermarkt in May and has since risen further following his impressive performances for **** an at the World Cup.
Mainz paid just €2.5 million to sign the midfielder from Kashima Antlers in 2024.

It is getting closer and closer.
Jürgen Klopp is getting set to become the new manager of the German national team, taking over after Julian Nagelsmann's resignation following the frustrating exit from the World Cup in the Round of 32 at the hands of Paraguay.
The newscycle has moved rather quickly while the former Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz manager has been finishing his punditry work for MagentaTV, but it is become rather clear that the DFB wants Klopp and Klopp is ready and willing to take the job.
Klopp meet with DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and vice president Hans-Joachim Watzke along with his agent in New York to discuss details of the proposed agreement between the DFB and Klopp. It is sounding like the contract will run through the 2030 World Cup and Klopp's exit from his current role as head of football for Red Bull GmbH just needs to get sorted for the deal to be finalized.
As Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has reported, the DFB have confirmed the news that he originally broke describing the details of the meeting in New York and what's to come next week in the process.

It is pretty much a certainty and written in the stars at this point that Jürgen Klopp is going to become the next manager of the German national team after Julian Nagelsmann resigned, but it's not a done deal just quite yet. The bitterness of Die Mannschaft underperforming and not meeting expectations at a third consecutive World Cup has been slightly alleviated with the news that Klopp is set to be given the job by the DFB with pretty much all the power he wants as a new era comes about for Germany. His release clause in his Red Bull contract as head of global football is specifically designed around leaving for the national team job, but there's still details that need to be worked out and fine-tuned.
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke recently stressed the fact that the deal is not yet fully done for Klopp to put pen to paper to replace Nagelsmann. "This is not a done deal yet. There are still hurdles to overcome. Especially considering that he has a contract at RB. I'm a bit more skeptical than others. I'm convinced the chances are higher than 50%, but that doesn't mean it's 100%. Jürgen is our plan A and we want to implement our plan A. There are problems to be solved," Watzke told ZDF (transcribed via iMiaSanMia)
Optically, from the outside looking in, the writing is on the wall. Klopp has maintained that there were really only two jobs that would interest him enough to step away from his roll at Red Bull to step back into management — Germany or Real Madrid. In the same vein, he's said that he would not want to go back to England to manage any other team besides Liverpool and he's routinely thrown cold water on rumors linking him with the Bayern Munich job due to his Dortmund legacy, though that same sort of sentiment didn't exactly apply when he took a role that has indirect oversight on RB Leipzig, one of Germany's most disliked clubs.
"Jürgen's willingness to solve these problems is a significant help. Of course, we have our [financial] limits. We expect, or rather I expect, a slight 'patriotism discount' from Jürgen in particular. I know that he loves Germany," Watzke continued. Not everything is black and white to the point were everyone in Germany loves Klopp, has faith in him and the job is open with his willingness to take over — it's not exactly as simple as that. The former Liverpool, Dortmund and Mainz manager has also maintained that he plans on bringing both Peter Krawietz and Zsolt Löw with him to be a part of his coaching staff at Germany — that's a lot of contractual and financial work involved to get done.
Nonetheless, Germany is waiting for the moment, the moment the "heavy metal" brand of football man makes it official and takes the hot seat to try to get Germany back where it belongs, perched on top of the footballing pedestal it sat upon in Brazil some eight years ago.

Linzer Athletik-Sport-Klub (LASK) have confirmed six new members of their squad in preparation for the new ÖFB-Frauen Bundesliga season.
LASK will be looking to build on a challenging 2025/26 season that saw them finish seventh in the table. Head coach Markus Eitl took charge of the club in January 2025 and will now look to put his own stamp on the squad. The former Vorwärts Steyr coach has now brought in six players in one large transfer announcement as part of his preparations.
Despite the obvious disappointments attached to finishing seventh, it was an improvement on the clubs ninth-placed finish in 2024/25. The club will no doubt expect a return on their investments in Eitl’s acquisitions.
There is a varying level of experience within the new group. The biggest coup is arguably Tea Kržnarić from ousted champions SKN St. Pölten. The Croatian left-sided midfielder has Champions League experience and won the Bundesliga in 2024/25. Kržnarić also previously represented LASK after joining from ŽNK Hajduk in 2022.
22-year-old Miriam Sterrer also joins the club from German club 1. FSV Mainz 05. The Austrian native has previously spent 6 seasons in the ÖFB-Frauen Bundesliga with FC Blau-Weiß Linz . Austrian youth international Dayna Sunshine Tuppinger has also joined the Linz based club after suffering a ligament tear in 2025 and will be looking to get her promising career back on track.

Last week Liverpool were mentioned as one of the suitors in the race for FIFA World Cup breakout star Kaishu Sano.
The 25-year-old workhorse was devastatingly effective in the ****** an midfield - scoring a brilliant goal in the Samurai Blue's round of 32 defeat at the hands of Brazil.
Sano returns to his club - Mainz of the Bundesliga - as a man in demand with teams across Germany and the Premier League now queuing up for his signature.
That's according to a new report in Fussball Daten - which claims Manchester United, ****** nal and Borussia Dortmund are all in the race to sign the £50m-rated No6.
Liverpool are frontrunners to land Sano however - with reports of talks having already been opened between the club and the midfielder's entourage.

Liverpool may have been handed a clear opening in the race for Kaishu Sano, with Mainz effectively confirming that the right bid would put the midfielder on the market. According to Sport Witness, the Bundesliga club are willing to listen, even if they are in no rush to sell.
This is how modern transfers work. Selling clubs talk tough, point to long contracts, mention market value and insist there is no pressure. Then they leave the door open. Mainz have done exactly that with Sano, a player whose reputation has risen sharply after an outstanding World Cup with ******* an.
The 25-year-old has been mentioned as a Liverpool target at a time when midfield uncertainty is driving the conversation. Alexis Mac Allister continues to attract attention, Curtis Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and Andoni Iraola is still shaping what this Liverpool side should look like after taking over this summer.
Mainz sporting director Niko Bungert did not dance around the situation. He said: “It’s obvious that a player who has played two years in the Bundesliga and was outstanding at the World Cup, probably the best player in his position, is in demand.” That is not a come-and-get-him plea, but it is an acknowledgement that interest is real.
He added: “There’s no doubt there are interested parties. It’s well known that England is the league where outstanding players usually move.” Again, no ambiguity there. Liverpool will hear that and recognise a club preparing the ground for negotiations.

Benjamin Weber had worked under Thomas Tuchel for 13 years before leaving for pastures new and now Augsburg sporting director, the 40-year-old backs his former boss to succeed with England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I believe not only because of the players but also because of Thomas, that they can win the World Cup,” Weber told Get German Football News.
“They have several opponents that can hurt them but they are one of the favourites.”
Weber worked under Tuchel at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Champions League in 2022, before his departure.
Praising his former boss, Weber told us: “To summarise Thomas in one word, it is adaptation, because he’s a genius in the sense of being able to adapt in every moment in a game. He comes into a club and thinks about the players we have, saying we can do this, or that, and then he will be successful and over the season’s he’s won, so he’s right to do that.”

Jürgen Klopp could soon address his **** embled peers in Mainz as the new Germany coach if the 59-year-old reaches agreement with the German Football Federation (DFB) and keeps a previous commitment.
The 59-year-old former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool boss is scheduled to deliver the opening speech at an international coaching congress from July 27 to 29, the **** ociation of German Football Coaches said.
The **** ociation expects around 1,400 female and male coaches from the professional and amateur game to attend.
Asked by dpa, a spokeswoman said the **** ociation still **** umed Klopp would come.
After Julian Nagelsmann resigned as Germany's men's coach after the early World Cup exit, the DFB on Friday said Klopp is keen to take over and talks will take place.

The Bundesliga season kicks off on the weekend of 28–30 August 2026. For the first time, league play will pause for two weeks after the fourth matchday due to international matches (late September/early October). The last matchday of the year will take place 18–20 December 2026, before the season resumes on 8 January 2027. To kick off the new year (8–10 January), BVB will travel to Mainz. The Bundesliga season ends on 22 May 2027.
The dates for the Revierderby had already been announced on Monday; it will be played on Matchday 12 (4–6 December) in Gelsenkirchen and on Matchday 29 (9–11 April) in Dortmund. The top matches against Bayern Munich will take place on Matchday 8 (30 October – 1 November) on the road and on Matchday 25 (5–7 March).
As last season’s runner-up, the Black and Yellows will face the reigning double champions in the Super Cup as early as 22 August. Kickoff against Munich is at 8:30 pm at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. BVB’s first DFB Pokal match of the new season will take place on 1 September (8:45 pm) at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion against Oberliga side HEBC.

Double winners Bayern Munich will face runners-up Borussia Dortmund on matchdays eight and 25 in the new Bundesliga season.
The fixture list was published on Thursday and coach Vincent Kompany's side will host Dortmund first between October 30 and November 1. The return match is planned for the weekend of March 5 to 7.
The long-time rivals will also meet before the league campaign begins on August 22 in the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup in Dortmund. The first round of the German Cup will also be played that weekend, involving all other teams.
Champions League participants RB Leipzig open their Bundesliga campaign a week later against Borussia Mönchengladbach while Europa League runners-up Freiburg start against Werder Bremen.
Two promoted sides both begin away from home - Schalke at Augsburg and Paderborn at Mainz.

The schedule is out, and now we also know when the big clashes and derbies will take place that you definitely won’t want to miss. So get your calendars ready — here are the most important dates of the first half of the season.
Bayern Munich vs. VfB Stuttgart
Mainz 05 vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
VfB Stuttgart vs. Borussia Dortmund
1. FC Cologne vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach

Liverpool are showing strong interest in Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano, whose stock has soared this summer.
The 25-year-old scored for ****** an in their World Cup last-32 defeat to Brazil, a moment that has amplified attention from Europe’s biggest clubs.
He is far from a Liverpool exclusive, however. ****** anese outlet Nikkan Sports reports that ****** nal, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund are all tracking the midfielder too, setting up a genuinely competitive race.
His goal against Brazil was the standout moment. Sano pounced on a loose Danilo pass, breezed past Casemiro and rifled low into the far corner. It gave ****** an a first-half lead before Brazil recovered to win 2-1.
The strike capped a durable club season. Sano made 48 appearances in all competitions for Mainz, offering steady output and reliability in the engine room. He is comfortable both as a defensive anchor and a box-to-box midfielder.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Austria defender Stefan Posch will be available to play Monday against defending champion Argentina after sustaining a broken jaw in his team's win to open this World Cup.
Coach Ralf Rangnick said Sunday that Posch, who went through full training the day before the match, had to go to Los Angeles twice to get fitted for a protective jaw brace that will allow him to play despite the injury. Posch didn't need surgery.
"He is ready to play tomorrow just like every and any other player," Rangnick said through an interpreter. "Then we will see if he will start tomorrow, or maybe he will be brought in during the match."
Posch injured his jaw after colliding with a Jordanian player in Austria's 3-1 win in its Group J opener on Tuesday in Santa Clara, California. That was Austria's first win in the international tournament in 36 years.
It was initially feared that the 29-year-old Mainz defender would miss the rest of the World Cup.

Japan and the Netherlands will kick off their World Cup campaign in Texas on Sunday night. There are seven Bundesliga-based players in Hajime Moriyasu’s squad, with FC Bayern’s Hiroki Itō, Eintracht Frankfurt's Ritsu Dōan and Mainz’s Kaishū Sano making the starting lineup.
From the starting XI of the Samurai Blue, Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt) also had previous Bundesliga experience. With Wataru Endo's international retirement and former Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Kō Itakura on the bench, Dōan will captain ***** an.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s Mark Flekken is the substitute goalkeeper for the Netherlands. From the eight players with previous Bundesliga experiences, Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg), Ryan Gravenberch (FC Bayern) and Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund) are in Ronald Koeman’s XI.
Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, van Hecke, van Dijk ©, van de Ven; Gravenberch, de Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo
Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, Itō; Dōan ©, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Maeda, Kubo; Ueda

The German national team travelled to Chicago for their final warm-up friendly ahead of the World Cup this summer. Germany headed into the match with a bit of a hot streak coming in with an 8 match winning streak and an impressive 4-0 result over Finland in Mainz last weekend. This game proved to be Julian Nagelsmann’s last chance to tweak his squad and figure out how the attack would operate without Lennart Karl.
Did he score? Yes, but that doesn’t instantly make him a good performance. He was quick, and a good dribbler but he far too often skies his shots way over the net, and needs to look for his teammates in order for this attack to work with Sané included. It is not impossible but it is unlikely he will figure it out.
While Denis Undav had an incredible performance last weekend against Finland, Kai Havertz was the star performer today for Die Mannschaft. With a goal and an **** ist, it is clear Nagelsmann has a plethora of adequate options at the striker position. If Undav is to start this World Cup, Havertz’s recent performances should mean he is played every match whether at the 10, or up top as the 9.
Germany may have done enough to beat the United States today, but playing against an absolute top side such as France or Portugal won’t be as easy, if today was any sort of sign. USA was arguably the better side in Chicago, and the Portuguese or French midfield might be far too much for the Germans too handle if they were to face each other in the coming weeks.
The USA side was nothing to laugh about today, and showed they can play with the big boys at the moment. With the home advantage, an easy group matchup, and a favorable projected knockout route should they advance, we could see the United States make a quarter-finals run this summer.

Lennart Karl has been ruled out of the World Cup just days before the start of the tournament, dealing Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann a major blow.
The 18-year-old Bayern Munich forward suffered a muscle tear in his left thigh during Germany's final training session ahead of Saturday's World Cup warm-up match in Chicago against the United States, the German Football Federation (DFB) said after Karl underwent tests in hospital.
Karl, who has three international caps, is seen as a rising star for the German side. He made his first start for Germany in the 4-0 win against Finland on Sunday in Mainz, impressing in attacking midfield.
Nagelsmann moved quickly to replace him, calling up RB Leipzig midfielder ******* an Ouédraogo to his 26-man squad.
Ouédraogo, 20, made his Germany debut in November's 6-0 win over Slovakia in their final World Cup qualifier and scored in the match.

The German national team recently played against Finland and beat them 4-0 in Mainz…and beat them 1-0 in a test match intended to keep the bench players match fit. Lennart Karl is one of the players who played in the actual match and helped himself to an **** ist when he teed up Deniz Undav for Germany’s third goal. That **** ist meant he set a new record/milestone:
18Y 98D – At 18 years and 98 days old, Lennart Karl became the youngest player since records began in 2005 to directly contribute to a goal for the German national team with his **** ist on the 3-0 goal yesterday. Recommended.
Germany got themselves a more than capable replacement for Serge Gnabry who would’ve undoubtedly made the team had he not picked up a lengthy injury. For Karl, this is a massive tournament for him to make his bow and with him in the team, Die Mannschaft has a good chance of making serious progress in the tournament.