BVB host Paderborn with the wind in their sails | OneFootball

Situation

Two wins in the Bundesliga, one in the cup, one in the UEFA Champions League – BVB have recently celebrated four straight victories. In the Bundesliga table, the Black and Yellows sit in third place with the maximum haul of six points. Speaking about the match against Villarreal CF (3-2) in midweek, BVB coach Niko Kovac said: “Of course, you empty yourself physically, but also mentally. Now it’s about immediately getting the mental side back under control so we can switch back to the Bundesliga.” His team are the favorites against the promoted side: “We’re playing at home and we want to win, that’s our goal.” But: “There are no easy games in the Bundesliga. You have to play them in a way that means you are switched on right away. That’s why I want my boys to put their foot down from the very first minute and get our fans behind us again as quickly as possible, so that we can play successful football.”

Squad

Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini have returned to team training after their injuries and will be available for the Paderborn match. “They are fit, healthy and ready for the weekend. I can count on both of them,” said Kovac. Konstantinos Karetsas will not be involved after having to be substituted in the match against Villarreal CF due to circulation problems. Read more now!

Opponents

SC Paderborn have been promoted to the Bundesliga for the third time in the club’s history. “A team with the ambition to stay in the league. We will certainly face a deep block from the opposition, who will want to hit on the counter,” said Kovac. On the opening matchday, the team earned a point at FSV Mainz 05 (0-0) and then lost 1-0 at home to SC Freiburg. They currently sit 12th in the table. Despite 23 shots on goal, Paderborn have yet to score. Defensively, however, they have not allowed much either and can thank goalkeeper Nahuel Noll, who has conceded only one goal so far. Paderborn’s Felix Götze (in the BVB youth setup until 2014) and Steffen Tigges (2019 to 2022) have also worn the Black and Yellow shirt in the past.

High-scoring encounter

BVB have never lost a competitive match against SC Paderborn: there have been two meetings in the DFB-Pokal, with the Black and Yellows advancing to the next round each time. In the Bundesliga, Dortmund have won two matches so far, while two others ended in draws. The last Bundesliga meeting at the end of May 2020 is especially memorable. In that ghost game in Paderborn played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus, the Black and Yellows turned in a weak first half but improved after the break. All seven goals in the 6-1 win came in the second half. It was the highest-scoring half of the 2019/20 season. For BVB, Jadon Sancho (3), Thorgan Hazard, Achraf Hakimi and Marcel Schmelzer, with the last professional goal of his career, found the net.Christina Reinke

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.