2. Bundesliga Saturday Konferenz preview | OneFootball

Schalke 04 vs. Dynamo Dresden

Despite still leading the table, Schalke have hit a brief wobble, beginning the year on a four-match winless run that has allowed rivals to close the gap. Miron Muslic’s side can still point to the league’s strongest defence, having conceded just 14 goals in 20 games.

A disappointing 2-0 defeat in Bochum last weekend summed up their recent struggles, dominating possession without creating clear chances and failing to score for only the fifth time this season. There was late relief on deadline day, however, as Moussa Sylla’s proposed MLS move collapsed, keeping the striker in Gelsenkirchen for the remainder of the campaign at least.

Dresden arrive unbeaten in three matches, their best run of the season so far. Thomas Stamm’s side sit 16th, level on points with 17th but only one point adrift of safety, underlining the fine margins in the relegation battle.

Their momentum stalled slightly last weekend with a 1-1 draw against Bielefeld. Christoph Daferner’s stoppage-time opener capped a dominant first half, but a lacklustre second period allowed the visitors back in via a penalty. A full 90-minute performance will be required at the Veltins-Arena.

Schalke edged the reverse fixture 1-0 thanks to a late Kenan Karaman penalty. Dresden have not beaten Schalke since 2014 and have never won away at the Veltins-Arena.

Team news: 

Schalke 04: Vitalie Becker, Adrian Gantenbein, Emil Højlund, Tomáš Kalas, Bryan Lasme and Henning Matriciani are unavailable due to injury. 

Dynamo Dresden: Lennart Grill remains sidelined while Robert Wagner is suspended following last week’s red card. 

Predicted lineups: 

Schalke 04 (3-4-2-1): Karius (GK) - Ayhan, Katić, Kuruçay - T. Becker, El-Faouzi, Schallenberg, Ljubicic - Karaman, Younes - Sylla 

Dynamo Dresden (4-2-3-1): Schreiber (GK) - Sterner, Keller, Pauli, Rossipal - Amoako, Šapina - Ceka, Hauptmann, Lemmer - Daferner 

SV Elversberg vs. Hertha BSC

Elversberg have rediscovered their form after a mid-season dip and are firmly back in the promotion race. Vincent Wagner’s side have lost just once in their last eight league matches (W4, D3), climbing to second place and sitting only a point behind Schalke.

They impressed last weekend with a commanding 3-1 win at Kaiserslautern, making full use of a first-half red card. Petkov and Schnellbacher found the net, while David Mokwa scored his first goal for the club since arriving from Hoffenheim in January.

Hertha, meanwhile, are stuck in a frustrating run of five consecutive draws, often surrendering winning positions. Two straight 2-2 results have exposed cracks in a previously resilient defence, leaving Stefan Leitl’s side seventh and seven points off the promotion places.

A red card for Dawid Kownacki while leading against Darmstadt last week proved costly, as Hertha were forced to settle for a point. Late transfer activity saw winger Josip Brekalo return to German football on a permanent deal from Real Oviedo.

Elversberg won 2-0 in Berlin earlier this season, though Hertha responded with a 3-0 DFB-Pokal victory in October. Die Elv have won four of the last five meetings, while Leitl has just one win in six against Elversberg.

Team news: 

SV Elversberg: Alongside long term absentees Luca Pfeiffer and Luis Seifert, Lasse Günther and Immanuel Pherai are likely to miss out. 

Hertha BSC: Kennet Eichhorn, Diego Demme, Maurice Krattenmacher and Niklas Kolbe are unavailable due to injury. Dawid Kownacki is suspended. 

Predicted lineups: 

SV Elversberg (4-2-3-1): Kristof (GK) - Gyamerah, Pinckert, Rohr, Mickelson - Poreba, Schmahl - Petkov, Conté, Zimmerschied - Mokwa 

Hertha BSC (4-2-3-1): Ernst (GK) - Eitschberger, Gechter, Dardai, Karbownik - Klemens, Seguin - Reese, Cuisance, Brekalo - Schuler 

SC Paderborn vs. 1. FC Nürnberg

Paderborn have spent much of the season among the frontrunners, but recent inconsistency has seen them slip to fourth, albeit just three points off the summit in a congested top half. Ralf Kettemann’s side have lost five of their last eight league matches.

One of those defeats came in Düsseldorf last weekend. Despite a dominant first half and a 1-0 lead through Kennedy Okpala’s maiden Paderborn goal, the visitors were overrun after the break and fell to a 2-1 defeat, worsened by Mattes Hansen’s dismissal.

Nürnberg, meanwhile, have steadily improved under Miroslav Klose after a disastrous start to the campaign. While inconsistency remains, results have lifted Der Club to ninth, six points clear of the bottom three.

They were held to a 1-1 draw by Preußen Münster last time out, despite taking the lead through Mohamed Ali Zoma and dominating possession and xG. Nürnberg were unable to capitalise further as Jorrit Hendrix snatched a point for the visitors.

The reverse fixture ended goalless, though Paderborn have won three of the last five meetings. Klose is still searching for his first win against Paderborn in three attempts.

Team news: 

SC Paderborn: Marcel Hoffmeier, Anton Bäuerle, Calvin Brackelmann and the suspended Mattes Hansen will be unavailable. Filip Bilbija is questionable. 

1. FC Nürnberg: Henri Koudossou and Erik Grcywacz are unavailable. Andreas Gruber is suspended. 

Predicted lineups: 

SC Paderborn (3-4-2-1): Seimen (GK) - Götze, Scheller, Sticker - Curda, Baur, Castaneda, Obermair - Klaas, Tigges - Michel 

1. FC Nürnberg (4-3-1-2): Reichert (GK) - Janisch, Mkrtchyan, Lochoshvili, Yilmaz - Becker, Markhiev, Lubach - Justvan - Scobel, Zoma