The development that Edimilson Fernandes has made in recent months is not only evident on the pitch, but also in the interview.

When the Swiss signed on at FSV Mainz 05 three and a half years ago, he seemed shy, answered in monosyllables and rather clichés.

Now, in the team hotel in Marbella, where the Rheinhessen Bundesliga club is doing its training camp, Fernandes makes a completely different impression.

Still introverted, but upright, self-confident and yet self-critical.

Self-confidence is no accident.

In the summer it seemed clear that Fernandes had no future in Mainz.

After two seasons in which the midfielder, who previously worked for West Ham United and AC Fiorentina, fell well short of expectations, the hoped-for upswing did not materialize even during a six-month loan to Bielefeld and Bern.

After his return to Bruchweg, Fernandes was considered a candidate for sale.

The fact that no buyer was found turned out to be lucky for the player and the club.

Because the 26-year-old developed into a regular in an unusual position in the three-man defense chain, made it into the World Cup squad for the Swiss national team, and instead of being retired in Mainz, he received an offer to extend his contract until the summer of 2026.

The contract negotiations: "No big deal," he says, "I sat in the office with the coach and the manager, they told me they wanted to keep me, and I was happy about it."

“Train more and harder than everyone else”

Bo Svensson is also happy.

"He's become more of a man," says the coach, "he takes his shoulders back and now he knows which player he is and what he needs." Fernandes himself can name where his mistakes lay in his early years in Mainz when coaches Sandro Schwarz, Achim Beierlorzer and Svensson often emphasized his potential, but he kept it hidden from the public.

"I really just relied on my talent," he admits.

"That wasn't enough."

At that time he was dissatisfied with his playing time, but now he has understood the reason.

"I had to do more." The change after the loan year began in the mind - and took place over extra shifts: "I wanted to train more and harder than everyone else to get a new chance.

I also worked a lot on my physique with a personal trainer and the trainer rewarded my commitment.”

Just because he's a good kicker doesn't mean a player can make demands, says Svensson.

"He must also have the right to work accordingly." This is exactly the case with Fernandes since the pre-season in the summer.

"I perceive Edi as very concentrated, he is not a loudspeaker, but has a very good charisma and a very good training attitude."

That's all the more important for the boss as he turned Fernandes into a central defender early in the season, who proved indispensable.

The construction site in the chain is big enough anyway.

Maxim Leitsch, who was completely out of training for a good three months due to physical and mental exhaustion, has returned, but after the long break he is far from being in the Bundesliga.

Niklas Tauer, who has stagnated at best this season and only made three appearances, has now been loaned to Schalke for a year and a half.

Stefan Bell is still working moderately in Andalusia after tearing his muscle fiber, but only "so as not to rush things," says Svensson.

The veteran has enough experience and fitness to be on the pitch when play resumes on January 21.

"With him we have the defensive quality to be uncomfortable for any opponent."

However, since the game against Eintracht Frankfurt just before the winter break, Bell has been charged with five yellow cards and suspended for the game at VfB Stuttgart.

That gives him four more days to prepare for the home game against Borussia Dortmund – and the coach has a shortage of staff.

As things stand at present, Alexander Hack is the only trained central defender available for the first game of the year.

Added to this is the retrained Fernandes – no longer an emergency solution.

"I don't see him in midfield anymore, but in defence, even though he's still learning," says Svensson.

With the ball, the Swiss doesn't have to change much, with his dynamic acceleration and safe ball control he can initiate dangerous advances, his wide diagonal passes are of high quality.

Fernandes' defensive behavior, on the other hand, is "okay, but it can be done better.

He has to internalize the processes even more in order to become more consistent and, for example, to lead duels properly," says the coach.

"These situations are different in the chain than in midfield." But, Svensson has no doubts about that, Fernandes will also take this development.