Road exploits begin with tricky trip to Paderborn

Focus on the hosts

Whilst the cliché is often used in football, SC Paderborn 07 can safely say that the last seven years have been a rollercoaster ride for the club in Germany’s footballing heartland, North-Rhine Westphalia. Promotion from the 2. Liga in 2013/14 saw the Blue and Blacks playing in the Bundesliga for the first time the next season and despite a good start to the campaign, finished bottom of the table. That began a downward spiral, as SCP were first relegated from the 2. Liga before finishing in the relegation zone of the 3. Liga in 2016/17. Paderborn were only saved by the fact that 1860 Munich didn’t receive a licence for the third division and thus got relegated from the 2. Liga straight to the fourth tier, handing the Blue and Blacks a reprieve. Steffen Baumgart’s charges used this reprieve to their advantage, earning a sensational back-to-back promotion, pipping HSV amongst others to automatic promotion to the Bundesliga in 2018/19. Baumgart was unable to stop the yo-yo trend, as SCP finished dead last in the top tier last season, relatively free-scoring as they have been throughout the 48-year-old’s reign but simultaneously porous at the back. After seven seasons of either promotion or relegation, all in Paderborn will be hoping for a season of relative calm and consolidation this time out, with promotion straight back to the Bundesliga not on the wishlist for the SCP faithful just yet.

Vagnoman replacement and striking dilemma for Thioune

The Rothosen were dealt another injury blow last Wednesday as Josha Vagnoman tore the outer ligament and pulled the inner ligament of his left ankle during training and will be missing from action for several weeks. Jan Gyamerah was able to complete 90 minutes for the under-21 team last Sunday but it is unsure if the 25-year-old's body is ready for 90 minutes of second division action just yet, with the question remaining of who will start in the right-back slot. Aaron Opoku also picked up a slight knock in training on Friday and will miss out, whilst Ewerton only managed 45 minutes on Wednesday evening for the under-21s in their 3-2 loss to Eintracht Norderstedt, as the Brazilian's long-term fitness still remains doubtful.

Thioune was coy on who would start up front at the Benteler Arena at Sunday's press conference, unwilling to show his hand but confirming that "everyone has made a very good impression in training this week. Who will start will remain my secret until tomorrow, though." Whilst it would be expected that Simon Terodde would start given his two-goal match-winning exploits against Fortuna Düsseldorf last Friday, the 33-year-old hasn't played a great amount of first-team football over the last 12 months and has to take care of his body with a long season ahead. Daniel Thioune will be hoping for a second win in as many games to set the Rothosen on the right course for the season, especially on the road where HSV have struggled the last two seasons.