1. FSV Mainz 05 vs. VfB Stuttgart 1893, 1:1

Fresh off qualifying for the Champions League knockout rounds, new Stuttgart manager Christian Gross looks to bag his first domestic victory at the helm when his side travel to Mainz on Sunday. Stuttgart beat Romanian champions Unirea 3-1 to advance in the competition, but they were held 1-1 at home by Bochum last week, sparking the sacking of Markus Babbel. The club is winless in eight straight Bundesliga games, and they sit third from bottom. Mainz, meanwhile, had a five-match unbeaten run snapped last week in a 2-0 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt. They now sit in ninth place on 23 points from 15 games, but they are still in prime position to compete for the European places. Mainz go into the game without the services of the suspended Chadli Amri, who was sent off against Frankfurt. Jan Kirchhoff and Dimo Wache continue to miss out for Thomas Tuchel's charges. For Gross' men, Serdar Tasci is suspended for yellow-card accumulation, and Thomas Hitzlsperger, Roberto Hilbert, and Martin Lanig continue to miss out with injuries. This will be a good test for the young Stuttgart tenure of Gross, but Mainz are unbeaten in seven home games this season. Look for a strong performance and a good result for Mainz on Sunday. REVIEW:

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