Still searching for their first win of December, Borussia Dortmund aim to end 2023 with victory over lowly Mainz 05 on Tuesday.
Approaching their final fixture of the calendar year, Dortmund have been left lagging behind the Bundesliga's top four; meanwhile, Mainz are stuck inside the drop zone.
Match preview
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After a run of just one win in eight, Borussia Dortmund are most likely looking forward to the upcoming winter break - even if their Champions League performances have caught the eye this season.
Edin Terzic's team topped the 'Group of Death', drawing their final fixture against Paris Saint-Germain last week, but they have continued to drop points in the Bundesliga, most recently being held to a 1-1 draw by Augsburg on Saturday.
Although Donyell Malen hauled BVB level after they had gone behind in Bavaria, the game ultimately ended all square, with Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen making several smart saves to deny Dortmund a second-half winner.
Last year's Bundesliga runners-up now return to Signal Iduna Park, where they wrap up a hectic 2023 schedule against the club that effectively stopped them claiming the title in May, when a 2-2 draw with Mainz let Bayern Munich slip in and seal top spot on the final day.
As a result, Die Schwarzgelben will be all the more motivated to halt a five-game winless run that has seen them exit the DFB-Pokal and fall 13 points behind irrepressible league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
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Before that fateful day for Dortmund, Mainz had lost four successive league meetings between the two sides, who are tied together as former employers of German coaching royalty Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
They now travel north having been beaten for the eighth time this term, following Saturday's 1-0 reverse at promoted Heidenheim, who secured a first-ever Bundesliga away victory at MEWA Arena despite Mainz dominating both possession and the shot count.
The Nullfunfers therefore have no wins to show from five matches since stunning RB Leipzig at the start of November; however, interim coach Jan Siewert has at least helped them tighten up at the back.
Unbeaten in five away fixtures - all draws, with only three goals conceded - Mainz have actually picked up one more point on the road than at home, but a worrying lack of goals continues to stop them converting draws into wins.
Having scored just once in their last five outings, Siewert's side are certainly long-shots to produce a first away win since April, even if Dortmund have been below their best of late.
Team News
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After serving a suspension at the weekend, Mats Hummels will be back in Borussia Dortmund's squad on Tuesday, and Niklas Sule may therefore make way in central defence.
Julian Ryerson is still sidelined by a knee injury, but fellow full-back Marius Wolf recently returned to fitness and can compete with Thomas Meunier to start on the right.
Also without Karim Adeyemi, Youssoufa Moukoko and Felix Nmecha, BVB boss Edin Terzic will again turn to Niclas Fullkrug up front, most likely supported by Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Donyell Malen. Fullkrug has racked up 10 goal involvements in the Bundesliga this term - just one behind midfield maestro Julian Brandt.
Mainz coach Jan Siewert will be glad the winter break is in sight, as a lengthy absence list has limited his options of late: first-choice goalkeeper Robin Zentner is out until next year with a finger injury, while Anthony Caci and Leandro Barreiro are also unavailable.
Joshua Guilavogui, Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Maxim Leitsch all join them on the treatment table, but Edimilson Fernandes and captain Silvan Widmer both hope to feature in Dortmund - the latter has been laid low by illness.
Meanwhile, Karim Onisiwo will aim to displace misfiring striker Ludovic Ajorque up front, as the Frenchman has found the net only once in the league this season.
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Wolf, Schlotterbeck, Hummels, Bensebaini; Reus, Can, Brandt; Malen, Fullkrug, Bynoe-Gittens
Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Batz; Da Costa, Kohr, Van den Berg, Mwene; Krauss, Papela; Gruda, Lee, Richter; Ajorque
We say: Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Mainz 05
Ending a tumultuous year that has featured a painful title failure but more recently seen unexpected success in Europe, Borussia Dortmund should secure maximum points against goal-shy Mainz 05. Gaining a small slice of revenge for May's final-day failure, BVB can score at least once - and even their shaky defence can hold out against the Bundesliga's second-weakest attack.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
