Borussia Dortmund VS Mainz 05

After a stretch of just one win in eight matches, Borussia Dortmund is likely eagerly anticipating the upcoming winter break. Despite their eye-catching performances in the Champions League this season – topping the 'Group of Death' by drawing their final fixture against Paris Saint-Germain last week – they have continued to drop points in the Bundesliga. Most recently, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Augsburg on Saturday.Even though Donyell Malen leveled the score after Dortmund fell behind in Bavaria, the match ultimately ended in a draw. Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen made several smart saves to deny Dortmund a second-half winner.The team, last year's Bundesliga runners-up, now returns to Signal Iduna Park to conclude a hectic 2023 schedule against the club that effectively thwarted their title bid in May. A 2-2 draw with Mainz on the final day allowed Bayern Munich to claim top spot.

Having suffered their eighth defeat of the season with a 1-0 loss to promoted Heidenheim on Saturday, Mainz now travels north. Despite Mainz dominating both possession and the shot count, Heidenheim secured their first-ever Bundesliga away victory at MEWA Arena.The Nullfunfers have not secured a win in five matches since stunning RB Leipzig at the start of November. However, interim coach Jan Siewert has at least helped them tighten up defensively.Mainz is unbeaten in five away fixtures, with all matches ending in draws and only three goals conceded. Surprisingly, they have picked up one more point on the road than at home. However, a concerning lack of goals has prevented them from converting draws into wins.