Borussia Dortmund v SC Paderborn Matchday 3 preview and team news | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund host SC Paderborn on Matchday 3 on Saturday, kick-off 15:30 CET at Westfalenstadion. It is BVB's penultimate match before the first international break.

Niko Kovač's side are chasing a third straight league win after coming from two down to beat TSG Hoffenheim 3-2 last weekend. They then edged Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday, Serhou Guirassy scoring twice to reach four for the season. BuLi News notes they may feel slightly fortunate to be still perfect.

Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini return after ankle and rib issues, with Kovač saying both are fit and ready if required. Emre Can and Giannis Konstantelias are out with ACL tears, Filippo Mane and Justin Lerma have muscle problems, and Samuele Inacio is suspended.

Paderborn visit Dortmund for the first time since February 2021 in the DFB-Pokal, when an extra-time Erling Haaland strike sealed a 3-2 home win. Under Ralf Kettemann, a reshaped side arrive winless since promotion but spirited.

A 0-0 at Mainz was followed by a narrow 1-0 home loss to SC Freiburg, reflecting defensive solidity for a promoted side. Their bigger issue is up front, with limited cutting edge and poor conversion, which will test them against a Dortmund team who kept 15 clean sheets last season.

Paderborn's injury list is short. Timur Gayret is out long term with an ACL tear, while Sven Michel, Lasse Eickel and Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant miss out with groin, back and outer ligament problems.

Source: BuLi News

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