Borussia Dortmund play the newly promoted side Paderborn at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their next Bundesliga fixture.
Borussia Dortmund vs Paderborn – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 12th September.
- Kick-off: 2:30pm BST.
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund team news
Borussia Dortmund has received a massive defensive boost ahead of the match, though manager Niko Kovač must still navigate several key absences.
In a major lift for the backline, both Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini have fully recovered from ankle and rib issues respectively.
Both players returned to team training this week, and Kovač confirmed they are healthy and ready to reclaim their places in the starting lineup.
However, the squad faces new setbacks following mid-week Champions League action against Villarreal, where Konstantinos Karetsas had to be substituted due to circulatory issues and severe dehydration, ruling him out of this clash.
Long-term absutes Emre Can and Giannis Konstantelias remain completely sidelined with ACL tears. Additionally, Filippo Mane and Justin Lerma are unavailable due to muscle injuries, while Samuele Inacio sits out as he serves the second match of his two-game suspension.
Paderborn team news
Paderborn manager Ralf Kettemann travels to Dortmund with a relatively short injury list, though the missing players present distinct challenges as the team searches for its first goal of the Bundesliga campaign.
The visitors will have to cope without the presence of Sven Michel, who is officially ruled out of the clash due to a nagging groin and muscle issue.
Paderborn’s midfield depth is also tested by the long-term absence of Timur Gayret, who remains out of action while recovering from a serious ACL tear.
Defensively, Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant is sidelined as he continues to rehabilitate an outer ligament knee injury, while Lasse Eickel is also unavailable for selection due to an ongoing back injury.
Despite these absences, Kettemann has a largely stable core available as he aims to orchestrate a defensive game plan capable of frustrating the Dortmund attack.
Form
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund enters the match in spectacular form, riding a four-game winning streak across all competitions. Under manager Niko Kovač, the team has taken maximum points from their opening two Bundesliga fixtures, comfortably sitting near the top of the table. Their most recent outings include a thrilling 3-2 away victory against TSG Hoffenheim in the league and another hard-fought 3-2 win over Villarreal CF in their midweek UEFA Champions League opening encounter.
Paderborn
Paderborn has endured a difficult start to their campaign after earning promotion back to the top flight. Ralf Kettemann’s side is still searching for its first Bundesliga victory of the season and has yet to score a goal. They opened their league campaign with a 0-0 draw away at Mainz 05, which was followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat at home against SC Freiburg.
Predicted lineups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Svensson; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Beier; Nwaneri, Sabitzer; Guirassy
Paderborn: Noll; Ter Horst, Scheller, Hansen; Curda, Castaneda, Obermair; Ulrich, Vidovic; Philippe, Pieringer
How to watch Borussia Dortmund vs Paderborn?
The Borussia Dortmund vs. SC Paderborn 07 match is affected by the UK’s Saturday 3pm TV blackout regulations
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