(Football news) Dortmund is now trailing the top four teams in the Bundesliga heading into their final match of the year, while Mainz is currently in the drop zone. Borussia Dortmund, despite their notable Champions League performances this season, are probably looking forward to the impending winter break after a run of only one win in eight games.
Top of the ‘Group of Death’, Edin Terzic’s club drew their last match against Paris Saint-Germain last week, but they have been losing ground in the Bundesliga, most recently being held to a 1-1 draw by Augsburg on Saturday.
The match finished in a draw despite Donyell Malen’s heroics to pull BVB even after they had fallen behind in Bavaria. Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen made a number of excellent saves to keep Dortmund from winning in the second half.
The runners-up in the Bundesliga from the previous season will now make their way back to Signal Iduna Park to complete a demanding 2023 calendar against the team that nearly prevented them from winning the championship in May—a 2-2 draw with Mainz allowed Bayern Munich to sneak in and take first place on the last day of play.
Die Schwarzgelben will therefore be even more driven to end a winless streak of five games, which has seen them lose the DFB-Pokal and drop to 13 points behind the unstoppable league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Mainz had lost the previous four league matches between the two teams, who are connected by their shared history as past employers of German coaching greats Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, prior to that fateful day for Dortmund.
After losing 1-0 to promoted Heidenheim on Saturday, who won their first-ever Bundesliga away game at MEWA Arena despite Mainz having the upper hand in possession and shots. They are now heading north having lost eight times this season.
Since shocking RB Leipzig at the beginning of November, the Nullfunfers have played five games without a victory. Nevertheless, interim coach Jan Siewert has at least assisted them in strengthening their defense.
Also read: Manchester United and Liverpool share 1 point each
