2019-20 Bundesliga Preview: SC Paderborn

A fairy-tale ending during their 2.Bundesliga campaign has brought SC Paderborn back to Germany’s first division but can they stay up? It will be difficult for a team that lacks quality and a club that doesn’t have the resources to add more.

Last Season

2.Bundesliga: 2nd place - 57 points

DFB Cup: Quarterfinals – 0:2 loss to Hamburger SV

SC Paderborn had a sensational season considering their goals before the season started. They were not really in the conversation as one of the candidates to get promoted but thanks to them overachieving and quite frankly other teams failing miserably, I’m looking at you HSV, they secured second place and their spot back in Germany’s first division.

Paderborn’s season didn’t look like it was going to be successful for a long time. In fact, the team was only in 7th place after the Hinrunde but a late hot streak with 8 undefeated games (7 wins) saw them rise to second place. On the last matchday they narrowly defended it against union Berlin thanks to Berlin’s loss.

Transfers

Transfers in:

• Luca Kilian (CB) – Borussia Dortmund II – Free transfer
• Streli Mamba (ST) – Energie Cottbus - Free transfer
• Johannes Dörfler (RW) – KFC Uerdingen - Free transfer
• Jan-Luca Rumpf (CB) – Sportfreunde Siegen - Free transfer
• Marcel Hilßner (RW) – Hansa Rostock - Free transfer
• Cauly (RM) – MSV Duisburg - Free transfer
• Rifet Kapic (CM) – Grashoppers
• Gerrit Holtmann (LW) – Mainz 05 – Loan
• Laurent Jans (RB) – FC Metz - Loan

Transfers out:

• Bernard Tekpetey (RW) – Schalke 04 – 2.5€ million
• Philipp Klement (CAM) – VfB Stuttgart – 2.5€ million
• Julius Dücker (ST) – SV Meppen - Free transfer
• Sacha Heil (CB) – FC Gießen - Free transfer
• Oliver Schindler (CM) – SV Lippstadt 08 - Free transfer
• Lukas Boeder (CB) – MSV Duisburg - Free transfer

This list shows you exactly why Paderborn are considered the prime candidate to get relegated. The club lost arguably their two best players on offense from last season, Klement and Tekpetey, and does not have the resources to replace them adequately.

Instead Paderborn signed a lot of young players with upside that they hope will rise to the occasion and help them stay in the Bundesliga for one more year.

The biggest additions are likely Hotlmann from Mainz, who at least has some Bundesliga experience and Jans from Metz who has previously played in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.

What to expect in 2019/20

Paderborn will have to fight for their spot in this league from day one and it will probably show in their playing style. They won’t have a team that will wow fans with technical prowess but rather a team that will look to scrap some points together with some solid defense. Expect them to be very uncomfortable to play against, especially when a team like BVB will play them they’re probably going to park the bus.

They will rely on ex-BVB player Uwe Hünemeier who was already with the team during their last stint in the Bundesliga in 2014/15 to stabilize the defense and provide some much needed experience. Paderborn’s most interesting player is likely young central midfielder Sebastian Vasiliadis.

Prediction: Battling relegation

Paderborn are in for a fight until the end if they want to stay up. Quite frankly it would be a surprise if they manage to stay in the Bundesliga with their current squad. The quality gap between them and other Bundesliga teams seems to big to overcome.