SC Paderborn vs Frankfurt – News and Probable Lineups

SC Paderborn will aim to move further away from the Bundesliga relegation zone when they host European contenders Eintracht Frankfurt at Home Deluxe Arena on Saturday.

The home team is looking for their second victory in six matches, while Die Adler seeks to secure their third straight win.

Match overview

Paderborn, under the management of Ralf Kettemann, has shown commendable performances since their promotion from the second division but will face a stern test this weekend.

The hosts currently sit in 14th place in the Bundesliga, with nine points, just two ahead of Union Berlin, who are in the relegation playoff position.

In their previous match, Kettemann’s squad played to a 0-0 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach, marking their second consecutive game without a goal.

In fact, only Schalke 04 has scored fewer than Paderborn’s six goals this season in the Bundesliga, a worrying trend the head coach must address to avoid relegation.

However, the promoted side has maintained an impressive defensive record thus far, with only Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich conceding fewer than their nine goals in eight matches.

A potential boost for the hosts is that a win could propel them into the top half of the table, as they are level on points with every team up to 10th-placed Augsburg, and just one behind ninth-placed Mainz 05.

On the other hand, Eintracht Frankfurt, guided by Adi Hutter, have had a mixed bag of results throughout the ongoing 2026-27 season, but they will be eager to show they have turned a corner.

Die Adler recently secured a 3-1 victory against Hamburg SV at home, as well as another 3-1 triumph away in the DFB-Pokal just a few days prior, marking their first back-to-back wins of the season.

This latest success positioned Hutter’s team eighth in the standings with 11 points, just two points shy of Bayer Leverkusen in sixth place as they push for European competition.

As they approach Saturday’s clash, Frankfurt has managed three victories in their last four matches across all competitions, their only setback being a 1-0 defeat at Dortmund on October 24.

Nonetheless, the visitors have recorded just one away victory in their four Bundesliga matches this term, overcoming Mainz 3-1 in mid-September, while conceding 11 goals in the process.

Team News

Paderborn will be without Marcel Hoffmeier due to a thigh injury, alongside fellow defender Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant, who has just returned to training after a lengthy absence and is still regaining his fitness.

With their absence, Tjark Scheller, Mattes Hansen, and Jano ter Horst are expected to feature in Kettemann’s three-man defence, with Laurin Curda and Raphael Obermair as wing-backs.

Additionally, midfielder Timur Gayret remains sidelined due to a knee issue, but Santiago Castaneda, Tom Baack, and Gabriel Vidovic should be available to operate in the midfield.

For Frankfurt, they are missing long-term injury casualty Jessic Ngankam, who continues his recovery from a thigh injury, while attacking midfielder Mario Gotze is questionable due to an ear infection that caused him to miss training on Wednesday and Thursday.

Considering this, striker Jonathan Burkardt will have the support of Ritsu Doan, Can Uzun, and Fares Chaibi in the upcoming fixture.

There are also concerns about the fitness of centre-back Robin Koch, who has participated partially in training this week following a knee bruise, but if he is unable to play, both Lilian Brassier and Jeremiaha Maluze are prepared to take their places in Hutter’s defence.

SC Paderborn probable starting XI:

zero; Scheller, Hansen, Ter Horst; Curda, Vidovic, Baack, Castaneda, Obermair; Tigges, Marino

Eintracht Frankfurt probable starting XI:

Atubolu; Knauff, Brassier, Maluze, Baum; Onyedika, Aseko-Nkili; Doan, Uzun, Chaibi; Burkardt

Paderborn has faced challenges in finding the back of the net this season, yet their solid defensive record suggests they are unlikely to face a heavy defeat this weekend.

Frankfurt will benefit from their improved form in recent weeks, but they must overcome their away struggles to capture all three points, so a closely contested match is anticipated.