SC Paderborn vs Stuttgart – News and Probable Lineups

Stuttgart will be aiming to find their footing in the Bundesliga as they head to face newly promoted SC Paderborn at Home Deluxe Arena this Saturday.

The hosts are keen to build on their victory before the international break, while Die Roten are seeking to turn their fortunes around.

Match overview

Ralf Kettemann’s side, Paderborn, started their season in the top division in a somewhat underwhelming manner, but they appear to have found some rhythm after four matches.

The hosts began their campaign with a goalless draw against Mainz 05 on August 29, only to be followed by two consecutive losses.

To compound their difficulties, Kettemann’s team failed to score in their opening three Bundesliga fixtures this season, raising doubts about their capacity to adapt at the top level of German football.

Nevertheless, Paderborn silenced their critics with a stunning 3-1 win over Hoffenheim in their latest match, racing to a two-goal lead before the interval, and securing the win with a third goal from Steffen Tigges in the second half.

This success has propelled Saturday’s hosts to 12th in the standings, where they sit on four points, just three behind the top four and three above the relegation zone.

On the other hand, Stuttgart, managed by Sebastian Hoeness, finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season but have struggled to replicate that form this time around.

Die Roten suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich on their first matchday, but rebounded with a convincing 4-1 victory over FC Koln on September 4, leading supporters to consider the initial loss as an aberration.

Unfortunately for Hoeness, his team has continued to struggle in league play, enduring a 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim before being shut out with a 1-0 loss at home against Borussia Dortmund.

This dismal stretch of three losses in four matches has seen Stuttgart slump to 15th in the league, with a paltry total of just three points to date.

To their credit, Die Roten’s competition has been particularly strong up until now, and they may fare better when they encounter one of the newly promoted teams this weekend, especially following their friendly victories of 3-0 against Heidenheim on September 25, and 5-0 against Greuther Furth on October 1.

Nevertheless, Saturday’s visitors will need to overcome their away form, having not secured a win in their last five Bundesliga away matches, with three losses and two draws during that stretch.

Team News

Paderborn will be without center-backs Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant and Marcel Hoffmeier due to knee and muscle injuries, respectively. However, Jano ter Horst, Tjark Scheller, and Mattes Hansen are expected to be ready to start.

Midfielder Sebastian Klaas is also ruled out with a groin injury, so fans can anticipate seeing Gabriel Vidovic, Laurin Ulrich, and Santiago Castaneda in the midfield, supported by Laurin Curda and Raphael Obermair, with right-winger Timur Gayret continuing his recovery from an ACL injury.

For Stuttgart, several defenders are also unavailable, including center-backs Ameen Al-Dakhil (knee) and Dan-Axel Zagadou (thigh strain), but Jeff Chabot and Finn Jeltsch are likely to feature in the central defense.

As for the attacking front, striker Tiago Tomas is dealing with a muscle injury, left-winger Justin Diehl is recovering from a thigh issue, and attacking midfielder Nikolas Nartey is still working his way back from a muscle problem.

In light of these absences, Hoeness may choose to start with a trio of Bilal El Khannouss, Deniz Undav, and Chris Fuhrich supporting striker Dzenan Pejcinovic on Saturday.

SC Paderborn probable starting XI:

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

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Seimen; Vagnoman, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Stiller, Promel; El Khannouss, Undav, Fuhrich; Pejcinovic

Paderborn will be eager to perform after securing their first victory last time out, though it remains to be seen whether that result will be a consistent trend.

Stuttgart has faced challenges this season, and their away performance has been underwhelming, but they could potentially emerge victorious on the road against one of the newly promoted sides this weekend.