BVB welcome Paderborn with momentum
· Yahoo Sports
Two wins in the Bundesliga, one in the cup, one in the UEFA Champions League – BVB have recently celebrated four consecutive victories. In the Bundesliga table, the Black and Yellows sit in third place with the maximum return of six points. Speaking about the clash against Villarreal FC (3:2) in midweek, BVB coach Niko Kovac said: “Of course, you expend a lot physically, but also mentally. Now it’s about getting the mental side back under control immediately in order to switch back to the Bundesliga.” His team are the favorites against the newly 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 approach them in a way that means you’re fully there right away. That’s why I want my boys to step on the gas from the 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 are available for the Paderborn match. “They are fit, healthy and ready to play this weekend. I can count on both of them,” said Kovac. Konstantinos Karetsas will not be involved after having to be substituted in the game against Villarreal FC due to circulation problems. Read more now!
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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 be facing a deep block from the opposition, who will want to hit on the counter,” said Kovac. On matchday one, the team picked up a point away 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 have goalkeeper Nahuel Noll to thank, as he has conceded only one goal so far. Paderborn’s Felix Götze (in the BVB youth setup until 2014) and Steffen Tigges (2019 to 2022) also wore 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, and on both occasions the Black and Yellows advanced to the next round. In the Bundesliga, Borussia 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 this ghost game in Paderborn played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus, the Black and Yellows produced a poor first half but improved after the break. All seven goals in the 6:1 victory 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 goal of his professional career, were on target.Christina Reinke
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.