Nuri Sahin laments Emre Can red card as Borussia Dortmund suffer fourth straight away defeat in the Bundesliga

Nuri Sahin felt that Emre Can's red card was the game-changer as Borussia Dortmund were handed a 3-1 defeat by Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Borussia Dortmund suffered their fourth straight away defeat in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon as they were beaten 3-1 by Mainz 05. It was yet another sorry performance from the Black and Yellows, who looked tired and battered amid the gruelling fixture list.

The defeat leaves Borussia Dortmund ten points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, and Nuri Sahin blamed Emre Can's red card for the defeat. "He should never go there like that. He knows that too," Sahin said on Sky Sport after the game. "That was a game changer. The boys are on their last legs. It was 0-0 and we had the feeling that we were in control and if it stayed 11 vs 11, we would have been able to create chances."

Red card changed the course of the game: Sebastian Kehl

Can was sent off for a poor two-footed challenge in the 27th minute when the game was still goalless. Mainz opened the scoring less than ten minutes later through Lee Jae-sung. Serhou Guirassy equalised for Borussia Dortmund soon after, only for Mainz to score either side of half-time and secure the three points.

BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl was also critical of Can's red card after the game. "The red card was unnecessary and it can be given. It didn't play into our hands at all. It changed the course of the game completely. You can't really blame the team because they tried everything," Kehl said in the mixed zone after the game.

Borussia Dortmund have 16 points to their name after ten matches in the Bundesliga. Their only away wins so far this season have come against fourth division side Phönix Lübeck (DFB-Pokal) and Club Brugge (Champions League).