Dortmund spirits lifted after back-to-back wins
Nuri Sahin is confident that Borussia Dortmund's back-to-back victories will help improve spirits within its depleted squad ahead of facing Mainz in the Bundesliga.
The likes of Gregor Kobel, Karim Adeyemi, Julien Duranville, Gio Reyna, Niklas Sule, Waldemar Anton, Julian Ryerson and Yan Couto are all notable absentees for Dortmund.
However, Sahin's side followed up its impressive league win over RB Leipzig last week with a 1-0 win over Sturm Graz in the UEFA Champions League.
The win saw Sahin become the first Dortmund boss since the Bundesliga was founded to win each of his first seven home matches in charge in all competitions.
However, the struggles, particularly in the Bundesliga, have come away from Signal Iduna Park this season.
Dortmund has failed to win any of its four away matches in the league. Should it fail to win at Mainz, it would become the second side this century to have zero wins in its first five away games and five wins from its first five home games.
Borussia Monchengladbach was the most recent team to go on a similar run in 2013-2014, while the last time Dortmund experienced such a stretch of form came in 1967-1968.
However, Sahin revealed that its recent victories have improved the mood in the dressing room, and is positive his players can stop the rot away from home.
"We have not really trained as a team on the pitch yet (after the win over Graz)," Sahin said.
"But the atmosphere is obviously more relaxed. Victories always do well and especially the way we won." It is normal there's more laughter after wins than after defeats."
Dortmund currently sits fifth in the Bundesliga standings after nine games, seven points behind league leader Bayern Munich.
Sahin's side does, however, have the opportunity to close the gap at the summit ahead of the final international break of 2024.
The head coach welcomed the two-week break as an opportunity to nurse his injury-hit squad back to health, although asked his available players for one final push after a difficult few months.
"It is never easy in Mainz. It will be uncomfortable," Sahin said. "We need to do it one more time before going into the international break."
"It needs to be clear to us that it is about the three points. It does not matter if it is home or away.
"We will try to get those important points to start again after the international break from a better position."
