Nuri Sahin is confident that Borussia Dortmund's back-to-back victories will help improve spirits within their 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 BVB.
However, Sahin's side followed up their impressive league win over RB Leipzig last week with a 1-0 win over Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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 (all competitions).
However, their struggles, particularly in the Bundesliga, have come away from the Westfalenstadion this season.
Dortmund have failed to win any of their four away matches in the league. Should they fail to win in Mainz, they would become the second side this century to have zero wins in their first five away games and five wins from their first five home games.
Borussia Monchengladbach were the last team to go on a similar run in 2013-14, while the last time Dortmund experienced this stretch of form came in 1967-68.
However, Sahin revealed that their 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 told a press conference.
"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 sit fifth in the Bundesliga standings after nine games, seven points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
Sahin's side do, however, have the opportunity to close the gap at the summit ahead of the final international break of 2024.
The BVB head coach welcomed the two-week break as an opportunity to nurse his injury-hit squad back to health, though 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."
Guardiola believes De Bruyne will be difficult to replace at Man City
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola knows it will be difficult to find a replacement for midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, should the Belgian depart next year.
The playmaker joined City in 2015 and has played a key role in their trophy-laden spell since then, but he will be out of contract at the end of the season.
De Bruyne's season has been hampered by injury, but the 33-year-old started his first Premier League game since August as City returned to winning ways after seven winless games against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
And Guardiola could not stress enough the impact De Bruyne has had on the club.
"I'm not involved in it," the City boss said, when quizzed about contract negotiations with De Bruyne.
"I would like to have him 23 years old and sign a contract for 10 years, this is what I'd like, we'll see."
De Bryune signed for City a year before Guardiola's arrival and has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five EFL Cups while also helping them to their first-ever Champions League triumph during the 2022-23 season.
"There are players for whom the impact on the legacy of this club will be eternal, will be forever," said Guardiola.
"Of course, it is not easy to replace [them], but as a club, we have to find in the moment, if it's going to happen, we have to find the best way."
Before the game against Forest, Guardiola had to brush aside suggestions of a rift between himself and De Bruyne.
"People say I've got a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? No, I don't want Kevin to play?" he said.
"The guy who has the most talent in the final third, I don't want it? I have a personal problem with him after nine years together?
"He's delivered to me the biggest success to this club, but he's been five months injured [last season] and two months injured [this season].
"He's 33 years old. He needs time to find his best, like last season, step by step. He'll try to do it and feel better. I'm desperate to have his best."
'Milan shown lack of respect' - Fonseca bemoans refereeing in Atalanta loss
Paulo Fonseca thinks referee Federico La Penna showed AC Milan "a lack of respect" during their 2-1 defeat by Atalanta.
Ademola Lookman's late strike settled the contest at Gewiss Stadium, where Alvaro Morata cancelled out Charles De Ketelaere's earlier effort.
While Atalanta climbed to the Serie A summit following a ninth straight win, Milan saw their seven-game unbeaten streak across all competitions come to an end.
However, Fonseca suggested his side were on the wrong end of questionable officiating, including for the hosts' first goal, where he felt De Ketelaere pushed Theo Hernandez while climbing to head home.
"I am not afraid to speak the truth," he told Sky Sport Italia. "I have always respected the work of the referees. I realise they have a difficult job, but every week, it is always the same.
"The way the referee officiated throughout this evening was a lack of respect for Milan.
"The first goal, [there] was a clear foul, there is absolutely no doubt. The way the referee officiated throughout was against Milan, there is no doubt."
Although, Fonseca acknowledged poor defending from set-pieces proved costly for his side.
"At the end of the day, we lost the game on two set-plays," he added. "The first half was very good, but in the second, we didn't have that link with the strikers.
"I think we deserved more tonight, it was tough to accept conceding two goals from dead-ball situations."
Meanwhile, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini revelled in his side's victory, which lifted them to the top of the table and already had their supporters chanting songs about winning the Scudetto.
"Naturally, this is a great victory against a team with undoubtedly very talented players among the best in the league, and we thoroughly deserved the win," he said.
"The people of Bergamo have their feet firmly on the ground, so don't take anything for granted. If we were still up there after another 20 games, it'd be different, but as things stand, it is an expression of joy and a deserved one, too."
Luis Enrique has 'nothing to complain about' despite PSG's stalemate with Auxerre
Luis Enrique insists he has "nothing to complain about" after Paris Saint-Germain were held to a goalless draw by Auxerre.
The Ligue 1 leaders dropped points for the second game running after an inspired performance by Auxerre goalkeeper Donovan Leon at Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps.
Fabian Ruiz saw a first-half goal chalked off for offside as PSG failed to score in a league game for the first time this season.
Their cause was not aided by Leon, who made 11 saves during the match - the highest tally for a goalkeeper who has kept a clean sheet in the French top flight.
Nevertheless, Luis Enrique focused on the positives of his side's performance against Nantes, who have only lost one of their seven league games on home soil this term.
"It's clear that the result does not reflect what happened on the pitch, but we were up against the second-best team at home. We have created many chances to score," he told reporters.
"Obviously, the unfinished business is scoring goals, which is what wins games, but I have nothing to complain about my team. We have tried until the end, all we have to do is keep on trying.
"This is a team that scores a lot of goals and creates a lot of chances. If we are unlucky, I will never criticise my players for missing an opportunity to score. I just encourage them to keep building confidence and improve."
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