Borussia Dortmund - Mainz preview - Dortmund look to cap good week

Posted Thursday, February 12, 2015 by PA

In the midst of their worst season in over a decade, Borussia Dortmund have enjoyed a rare week full of good news in the build-up to their clash with Mainz on Friday night.

After last weekend's 3-0 win at Freiburg - a result which lifted them off the foot of the Bundesliga - Dortmund on Tuesday celebrated the news that key forward Marco Reus had extended his contract until 2019.

"I'm really, really pleased that he has made this decision," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp at a press conference.

"Marco is now very relaxed and very free in the mind, and ideally that will show in his performances.

"There was even applause in the dressing room for him, which I thought was really cool. Ideally there will also be applause in the stadium."

By committing his future to the club, Reus bucked a worrying trend which had seen Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski both defect to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in recent years.

It has therefore been arguably the most positive week of what has otherwise been a largely miserable season for Dortmund.

"It's my job to ensure that we carry this momentum forwards," said Klopp. "Of course it feels good, but we've not forgotten what's at stake."

All that remains is to crown the week with victory over Klopp's former club Mainz, although that is easier said than done.

Mainz have only won one of their last 12 league matches, but beat Dortmund at home in September and have only lost three times on their travels all season - a record only bettered by leaders Bayern Munich.

"It's not all that relevant to us that Mainz have not lost much away from home," said Klopp, whose side have lost four on home soil this season.

"But we do have revenge on our minds after the reverse fixture."

That game ended 2-0 to Mainz and started a week which saw Dortmund pick up just one point from three games.

With potentially six points, a place outside the bottom three and Reus' new contract to celebrate this week, it is easy to see why the mood has been so positive in Dortmund thee last few days.