Mainz are preparing for their second season in the top flight with a home game against Stuttgart kicking things off.

Generally, the second season in a higher league is regarded as the hardest since the euphoria from promotion is no longer so strong, but Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel is not expecting any less from his players this year than they showed in leading the club to a comfortable ninth-place finish last term.

"Our expectations are high," he said.

"I have a really good feeling because most of the team has remained intact and everybody has been able to understand what we want.

"Our faith in ourselves has grown and we will be competitive come 15:30 tomorrow."

Mainz could hardly have been given a tougher start to the season against the strongest team during the second half of the 2009-10 campaign and Tuchel insists that a defeat would therefore not be the end of the world.

"We have got to remember that the Bundesliga season is a marathon and not a 100-metre sprint," he said at the pre-match press conference.

"I don't know any coach who does not want to win the first game, but I don't know any either who would throw in the towel after if things don't match up to their expectations."

Sami Allagui is the man designated to fill the void left by the sale of last season's top goalscorer Aristide Bance to Dubai.

Stuttgart are back in action just three days after their 1-0 away win against Slovan Bratislava in the Europa League on Thursday and coach Christian Gross has not ruled out rotating his side, particularly in view of the second leg next week.

"Fortunately, we have a big enough squad to be able to make changes without losing any quality," he said.

"Changes will be made, but only when it is the right time. It is a long season."