Paderborn vs Wolfsburg Preview: Team News & Prediction | German Bundesliga Promotion/Relegation Play-Off
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Paderborn and Wolfsburg reconvene with everything still to play for in this play-off, with the aggregate score deadlocked at 0-0.
Kick-off date/time:
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Paderborn preview: Job done on the road
If you had offered Ralf Kettemann a goalless draw in the first leg away from home, the Paderborn coach would’ve surely taken it and that is exactly what he got. The 2. Bundesliga side were put under heavy pressure for the majority of the game but hung on to secure the 0-0 draw and leave themselves needing to win at home in the second leg to be promoted.
Whilst Paderborn will need to come out of their shell more in the second leg, you would expect that from them being on home soil. They remain underdogs, especially when you consider how rare it has been in recent years that the 2. Bundesliga club triumphs in this promotion/relegation play-off. But they stand a far better chance following the first leg.
Wolfsburg preview: Pressure ramps up
Ever since Wolfsburg were promoted to the Bundesliga back in 1997, they have never been relegated from the top tier of German football. However, they have never been in more danger of going down than right now, with them needing to beat Paderborn away from home in what is effectively now a straight knockout match after a 0-0 draw at Volkswagen Arena.
Dieter Hecking’s side dominated the first leg as expected, but a lack of cutting edge and general quality up top left them frustrated and forced to settle for a stalemate. However, they gave little away from a defensive perspective which they can at least take as a positive, although it is likely that Paderborn attempt to put the Wolfsburg backline under significantly more pressure in the second leg.
Paderborn team news: Sticker situation
A late red card for Jonah Sticker rules him out of the second leg, with Niklas Mohr expected to take his place at left-wing-back. However, midfielder Mika Baur returns from a suspension of his own and should come straight back into the starting line-up.
Predicted XI: (3-4-3): Seimen, Hansen, Scheller, Brackelmann; Curda, Castaneda, Baur, Mohr; Muller, Marino, Bilbija
Unavailable: Sticker (Suspended), Hoffmeier (Injured), Obermair (Injured)
Questionable:
Wolfsburg team news: Souza back available
After missing the first leg through suspension, Vinicius Souza is back and expected to play in central midfield, whilst a change in the frontline could be on the cards after being shut out on Thursday.
Predicted XI: (3-5-2): Grabara; Belocian, Vavro, Koulierakis; Kumbedi, Svanberg, Souza, Eriksen, Maehle; Amoura, Pejcinovic
Unavailable: Arnold (Injured), Dardai (Injured), Rogerio (Injured), Seelt (Injured)
Questionable: Fischer (Injured), Wimmer (Injured), Wind (Injured)
Paderborn vs Wolfsburg prediction
The seasons of both Paderborn and Wolfsburg boils down to this with the hosts needing to beat the Bundesliga veterans for the first time in their history if they are to secure promotion to the top flight, whether it be in 90 minutes, via extra time or penalties. Expect a braver version of Paderborn offensively with the home crowd behind them and we should see more bodies pushed forward by Kettemann.
However, Wolfsburg remain the stronger side on paper and when considering the opportunities they created in the first leg, it would be no surprise to see them register just as many chances to score on the road. The question is whether the visiting backline will be able to withstand Paderborn’s attack when they inevitably build up a head of steam and pin back Hecking’s side.
You often see drama in the Bundesliga promotion/relegation play-off and both these teams will no doubt leave everything out on the pitch. In the end though, it’s impossible to ignore the record of six straight play-offs being won by the Bundesliga outfit. Wolfsburg boast superior depth than their opponents, which should play over the course of 90 minutes and perhaps longer, so consider backing them to survive, even if they require extra time and even penalties to do so.
Paderborn vs Wolfsburg tip: Wolfsburg to qualify
