Borussia Dortmund slumped to a fourth consecutive away defeat on Saturday, losing 3-1 to Mainz after Emre Can's first-half sending-off. 

Dortmund, who had a midweek confidence boost with a 1-0 home win over Sturm Graz in the Champions League, struggled against the hosts and were left with 10 men in the 27th minute when their captain launched a reckless studs-up challenge on Lee Jae-Sung and received a straight red card.

Things got even worse when the South Korean rose to nod a deft finish past Alexander Meyer to give Mainz the lead in the 36th minute.

However, Lee then brought down Serhou Guirassy in the box just four minutes later, with the striker restoring parity from 12 yards.

Dortmund could not hold on until half-time though, as their defence was again caught out when Jonathan Burkardt turned in a cutback in first-half stoppage time.

After the break, Mainz picked up where they had left off, bagging a third goal through Paul Nebel, who coolly slid in from the edge of the six-yard box in the 54th minute.

Dortmund, who have lost four of their five away league games this season and drawn the other, are on 16 points in seventh spot. Mainz are three points behind in 10th.

Data Debrief: Away day woes

Dortmund have won just one of their away games in all competitions this season - a 3-0 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League - but there does not seem to be an end in sight to their troubles.

It is the first time that Dortmund have lost six competitive away games on the bounce since 2006-07, but Nuri Sahin's bigger worry will be the fact that they only attempted two shots, with their penalty the only effort on target. 

Meanwhile, Mainz have ended a three-match winless run in the Bundesliga, extending their impressive recent record against Dortmund in the process, as they are unbeaten in four games against the Black and Yellow (W2 D2).

Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 comeback win over RB Leipzig to snap a three-game losing run was a reward for their hard work, coach Nuri Sahin said.

Dortmund, who face Sturm Graz in the Champions League next week, were without nine injured players but dug deep to score twice after visitors Leipzig took the lead.

They came into Saturday's Bundesliga match against second-placed Leipzig having lost three straight games across all competitions, and fell behind to Benjamin Sesko's thumping strike.

But goals from Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy completed the turnaround and saw Sahin continue his strong home form, having won each of his first five league matches in charge at Signal Iduna Park.

"An important win, and in my opinion a deserved win," Sahin told reporters. 

"We started well and the goal did not knock us down. We were rewarded with a goal before half-time and then again after the break. Sometimes you suffer, but with suffering you learn. We are now on a better track and won't veer away."

Sahin had been under mounting pressure following a loss in the Champions League to Real Madrid after leading 2-0, and defeats by Augsburg in the Bundesliga last week and Tuesday's DFB-Cup exit to Wolfsburg.

"On Tuesday I also saw a team that gave everything but were not rewarded in the end. Today we were," Sahin said.

"The boys applied what we planned. The belief in this team is the same even if we had lost seven in a row."

Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy headed an 83rd-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over St Pauli on Friday, provisionally taking them fourth in the Bundesliga table.

Guinea international Guirassy headed in a cross at the far post to clinch the points five minutes after Eric Smith silenced the home crowd with a stunning 30-yard equaliser.

Dortmund, who face Real Madrid in the Champions League next week, took a deserved lead through Ramy Bensebaini's looping header two minutes before the break.

They should have scored again with Julian Brandt and Donyell Malen spurning glaring chances, but instead it was the visitors who struck with Smith's 30-yard blockbuster in the 78th minute.

Guirassy, however, had the final say, heading in a cross from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens for his fourth goal of the campaign to lift Nuri Sahin's side to 13 points. 

Leaders Bayern Munich, on 14, face Stuttgart on Saturday while RB Leipzig, also on 14, travel to Mainz.

Data Debrief: Guirassy takes his chance

No player in the Bundesliga has had chances with an expected goals (xG) value matching Guirassy's 4.42 so far this season.

He fired off six shots worth 1.66 xG – both game-high figures – on Friday, finally getting his reward when he nodded Bynoe-Gittens' cross past Nikola Vasilj.

Only Stuttgart (five) have bettered BVB's tally of four goals in the final 15 minutes of second halves in the Bundesliga this campaign.

Jamie Gittens scored twice as Borussia Dortmund opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-0 victory away at Club Brugge.

Serhou Guirassy added a late penalty for last season's finalists, who netted three times in the final quarter of an hour at Jan Breydelstadion.

Brugge carried the greater attacking threat for most of the contest, going closest to scoring when Hugo Vetlesen rattled the crossbar, but they were made to pay for their profligacy.

Gittens entered the action as a 68th-minute substitute and broke the deadlock eight minutes later—albeit in fortuitous circumstances—with his shot taking two deflections before nestling in the top-left corner.

The 20-year-old doubled his and Dortmund's tally with four minutes remaining, cutting inside before firing past Simon Mignolet in the Brugge goal.

Guirassy added further gloss to the scoreline from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, slotting home from 12 yards after he was fouled by Brandon Mechele.

Data Debrief: Super sub Gittens stars in historic win

Keeping Brugge at bay, Dortmund became the first team in Champions League history to play a single opponent five times without conceding a goal.

Gittens got the ball rolling at the other end. At 20 years and 41 days old, he is the second-youngest player to score two or more goals as a substitute in a Champions League game, older than only Monaco's David Trezeguet, who was just 34 days younger when he struck against K. Lierse SK in October 1997.

Guirassy completed the victory from the spot, meaning Dortmund have now converted each of their last six Champions League penalties, last failing from 12 yards against Barcelona in September 2019 through Marco Reus.

Serhou Guirassy enjoyed a brilliant campaign with Stuttgart last season, and the forward has now joined Borussia Dortmund.

The 28-year-old scored 28 Bundesliga goals last season, making him the second-highest scorer in the league, after Harry Kane.

Guirassy has cost Dortmund a reported $20million, and has penned a four-year deal with the club.

"Every child interested in football in the world knows this club, knows the black and yellow jerseys, knows the yellow wall. I'm very excited about all this," Guirassy said.

"I came here to win titles, that's what drives me."

He is the second Stuttgart player to join Dortmund after defender Waldemar Anton.

Guirassy averaged a goal every 78 minutes in the Bundesliga last term, while outperforming his 20.85 expected goals.

Serhou Guirassy's proposed move to Borussia Dortmund is in doubt, after his medical revealed an injury "that requires further investigation".

The Guinea forward was set to join the Black and Yellow, and flew to Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday to complete a medical.

However, it remains to be seen whether Guirassy, who was the Bundesliga's second-leading scorer last season with 28 goals behind only Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (32), will complete that move.

Dortmund wrote on X: "During a medical examination of Serhou Guirassy, ​​an injury was discovered that requires further investigation".

Guirassy's 28 goals were the most scored by a Stuttgart player in a single Bundesliga season, breaking Mario Gomez's 15-year record (24 in 2008-09).

The 28-year-old striker also equalled a Bundesliga record by scoring the opening goal in 12 matches, matching Gerd Muller (1969-70), Ailton (2003-04) and Stefan Kiessling (2012-13).

Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy matched a Bundesliga record previously shared by Stefan Kiessling, Ailton and Gert Muller with his opener against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Guirassy put high-flying Stuttgart ahead in the 23rd minute on Saturday, in their final game of the season.

That goal marked the 12th time the striker has scored the opener in a Bundesliga match this season, which equalled the record set by the great Muller in 1969-70, then matched by Ailton in 2003-04 and Kiessling in 2012-13.

It also brought up Guirassy's 27th goal of a stellar campaign.

Serhou Guirassy scored a second-half goal for Stuttgart to secure a 1-0 victory away to Augsburg, setting a new club record in the process.

Stuttgart have won their 22nd match this term, an incredible feat as they have never secured this number of victories in a single season. What makes this even more remarkable is, this time last year they were playing in a relegation play-off.

Guirassy scored the opening goal of a game for the 11th time this season. He is the only non-German player to do so more often in a season since Bremen's Ailton in 2003-04 (12 times). The forward increased his tally to 26 for the season with his strike just three minutes into the second half.

Seb Hoeness' side have scored in 30 of their 33 games - only Bayer Leverkusen (31) have scored goals in more matches in the German league this season. As they dominated the tie, Chris Fuehrich went close to adding a second, only to be denied by Augsburg keeper Tomas Koubek.

This win lifts Stuttgart to second in the table above Bayern Munich, with the Bavarian side welcoming Wolfsburg to the Allianz Arena on Sunday.

Hoeness' team have already secured Champions League football for next season and, with one game left, this season has been a turnaround fans could only have dreamed of at the beginning of the season.

Data Debrief:

Stuttgart are undefeated in their last three games in the German Bundesliga - their last longer unbeaten streak since a run of 11 between January and April 2024.

Stuttgart have kept a clean sheet in 11 of their 33 games, only Bayer Leverkusen (15) have done this more often in the German Bundesliga this season.

Augsburg have lost their last four games in the German Bundesliga. Their last joint-longest losing streak was from February to May 2020.

Stuttgart extended their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to eight games as their usual outlets delivered the goods in a 3-0 defeat of Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Where Deniz Undav faltered in front of goal, he made up for it with two assists for Enzo Millot and Serhou Guirassy, before Jamie Leweling emerged from the bench to put the contest to bed midway through the second half.

Millot's goal 16 minutes in was his third shot of the game, and capped a beautiful team move that involved Chris Fuhrich and Guirassy, before Undav slid in the midfielder for a simple open-bodied finish into the bottom-left corner.

Undav the provider notched his second assist after more fine Stuttgart interplay practically on the half-time whistle. It was a nonchalant ball that unlocked the Hoffenheim defence and Guirassy smashed home for his fifth goal in as many games, and his 22nd Bundesliga goal in just 20 appearances this term.

For Undav, the pair of assists took him up to 20 direct goal involvements in just 21 games – an addition to the evidence pile as to why Germany have called the Brighton loanee up for their upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and France.

The visitors went three-up thanks to Leweling. There was to be no assist for Undav this time, as the substitute slammed home brilliantly from a corner.

As the triplet of goals tumbled through, it rang true to Stuttgart's opening prowess – they still have not lost in the last 16 games where they have opened the scoring.

It was a sorry performance from European hopefuls Hoffenheim, who mustered only one shot on target, while Stuttgart had 11 going the other way.

Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy has set his sights on Africa Cup of Nations glory as he prepares for a belated introduction to the competition.

Stuttgart’s 17-goal striker – only England frontman Harry Kane has found the back more often in the Bundesliga to date this season – will hope to play a part in Friday evening’s showdown with Gambia at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro.

The 27-year-old sat out the opening 1-1 draw with Cameroon through injury, but is preparing for an extended stay in Ivory Coast.

Asked about his club form, he told the tournament’s official website: “My personal goal is to continue in the same vein, especially since the matches in Africa are far more difficult.

“I strive to play good matches and help my country’s team in a good way. I aim to do well and why not win the title of this competition?”

Kaba Diawara’s men battled their way to a draw with Cameroon in their opening fixture despite having skipper Francois Kamano sent off, meaning he will be suspended for the second game.

The Scorpions, meanwhile, finished on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline against reigning champions Senegal, during which Cardiff midfielder Ebou Adams was dismissed and he too will be banned.

Speaking after the defeat, coach Tom Saintfiet said: “We will prepare well and we will be ready for the Guinea match. I know that we will be ready.

“Things have become difficult for us now, especially after losing by three. We need four points to qualify, so there is still hope.”

The sides met in the last 16 of the competition in Cameroon two years ago when Musa Barrow’s goal handed Gambia a 1-0 victory.

What the papers say

Mohamed Salah remains a target for clubs in the Saudi Pro League but they will have to wait beyond January, according to the Daily Mirror. Liverpool are not expected to agree to a mid-season sale for the 31-year-old forward with bids expected to come in the summer.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is likely to concentrate on loan deals in January, reports the Daily Mirror. The club needs to offload players before making any signings with reinforcements on the cards after a string of injuries.

Steve Cooper has emerged as a potential option as manager at Crystal Palace after his sacking at Nottingham Forest, according to The Daily Telegraph. Roy Hodgson’s future in charge of the club is uncertain.

Crystal Palace are interested in Paris St Germain striker Hugo Ekitike, 21, reports the Evening Standard. Palace have also been linked with Sunderland’s 21-year-old French midfielder Pierre Ekwah.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Dan Gore: Borussia Dortmund are keen on Manchester United’s 19-year-old English winger, reports Football Insider.

Serhou Guirassy: Manchester United, Tottenham and AC Milan are interested in the Guinea striker, 27, who is preparing to leave Stuttgart in January, according to Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy.

What the papers say

Barcelona are considering making a move for Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, 31, according to the Mirror. Jorginho, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in January, has featured in six Premier League games so far this season.

The Mirror also reports Spain goalkeeper David De Gea, 32, has caused an online stir after posting a picture in England with on-loan Manchester United defender Sergio Reguilon, with calls for the club to bring the out-of-contract player back to Old Trafford. Current United stopper Andre Onana has made a number of errors since joining the Manchester giants in the summer.

The Daily Mail says Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has a clause in his contract which allows him to become the boss of any of the clubs he played for as early as next summer. These clubs include Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Victor Osimhen: Chelsea have added the 24-year-old striker to their transfer list for January, ESPN reports. Osimhen has scored six goals in eight games for Napoli so far in Serie A this season.

Serhou Guirassy: The leading scorer in the Bundesliga this season for Stuttgart has attracted interest from Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brighton. The 27-year-old has scored 13 goals in just seven games for the German club this campaign.