SC Paderborn vs Freiburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Promoted broadside SC Paderborn volition play their first Bundesliga home crippled of the play connected Saturday, erstwhile European hopefuls Freiburg sojourn the Home Deluxe Arena.

The hosts are hoping to physique connected their gully past clip out, portion Die Breisgau-Brasilianer could marque it 5 wins connected the bounce this weekend.

Match preview

Ralf Kettemann's Paderborn reached the German apical formation by mode of the division's playoff, beating Bundesliga regulars Wolfsburg 2-1 connected aggregate backmost successful May.

The comparative minnows are amongst the favourites to beryllium relegated successful 2026-27, but they were capable to instrumentality a constituent from a 0-0 gully with Mainz 05 during their opener, a effect that is definite to boost the club's confidence. 

Adding to that feeling is the information that Kettemann's broadside came into that clash having beaten Phonix Lubeck 4-2 successful the DFB-Pokal six days prior, and that they are present undefeated crossed their past 9 matches - a agelong that goes backmost to May 3.

However, portion specified resilience volition springiness fans crushed for cautious optimism connected Saturday, the much pessimistic amongst the Paderborn faithful would constituent retired that the squad failed to registry a azygous changeable connected people against Mainz.

Aware that the hosts are large underdogs this weekend, supporters astatine the Home Deluxe Arena - who whitethorn person memories of their 3-1 DFB-Pokal triumph implicit their opponents successful November 2023 - volition beryllium hoping the juncture of their archetypal location crippled tin animate the XI.

Meanwhile, Julian Schuster's Freiburg fell agonisingly abbreviated of Europa League glory past term, but their disappointment volition beryllium fuelling a propulsion to suffice erstwhile again via the Bundesliga successful 2026-27.

Die Breisgau-Brasilianer kicked disconnected their home league play with an emphatic 4-1 triumph implicit Werder Bremen connected August 30, racing into a four-goal pb earlier the hr people and lone conceding a precocious consolation effort.

Schuster's men volition beryllium buoyed by that victory, not lone acknowledgment to the 3 points they collected, but besides the information they are present connected a four-game winning streak.

Freiburg thrashed Fortuna Dusseldorf 5-1 successful their DFB-Pokal clash a week earlier, sandwiched betwixt 2 wins against Scottish Premiership broadside Motherwell connected their mode to reaching the league signifier of the UEFA Conference League.

That momentum volition person Die Breisgau-Brasilianer successful afloat travel heading into Saturday's contest, and considering they person scored astatine slightest 3 goals successful each of their outings this season, the visitors should beryllium capable to interruption down Paderborn's determined defence.

SC Paderborn Bundesliga form:

SC Paderborn signifier (all competitions):

Freiburg Bundesliga form:

Freiburg signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Paderborn volition beryllium without centre-backs Felix Gotze and Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant, who are dealing with a concussion and genu wounded respectively.

Filling the gaps, Kettemann is apt to opt for a three-man defence featuring Jano ter Horst, Mattes Hansen and Tjark Scheller, flanked by wing-backs Laurin Curda and Raphael Obermair.

The hosts are besides missing a fig of midfielders, including Timur Gayret (ACL), Sven Michel (muscle), and Sebastian Klaas (groin), truthful expect to see Laurin Ulrich and Santiago Castaneda commencement successful the centre of the park.

Marvin Pieringer looks acceptable to run up beforehand this weekend, supported from retired wide by Stefano Marino and Gabriel Vidovic, while 18-year-old striker Lasse Eickel recovers from a backmost injury.

As for Freiburg, defensive midfielder Patrick Osterhage has a musculus contented to contend with, and chap middle-third enactment Rihito Yamamoto is expected to beryllium retired successful bid to proceed gathering fitness.

With that successful mind, Maximilian Eggestein and Yannik Engelhardt volition form Schuster's treble pivot, platforming an attacking trio featuring Jan-Niklas Beste, Yuito Suzuki and Derry Scherhant, while Florent Muslija undergoes rehabilitation for an ACL injury.

SC Paderborn imaginable starting lineup:

Noll; Ter Horst, Hansen, Scheller; Curda, Castaneda, Ulrich, Obermair; Marino, Pieringer, Vidovic

Freiburg imaginable starting lineup:

Backhaus; Treu, Lienhart, Ginter, Makengo; Engelhardt, Eggestein; Beste, Suzuki, Scherhant; Matanovic

We say: SC Paderborn 0-3 Freiburg

Paderborn struggled to make clear-cut chances against Mainz, and were incapable to muster adjacent a azygous changeable connected people that day.

By contrast, Freiburg person been successful awesome attacking signifier truthful acold this season, truthful it would not beryllium a astonishment to spot them tally retired comfy winners connected Saturday.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.