Paderborn vs Borrusia Dortmund
Benteler-Arena, Paderborn
Sunday, 31-05-2020 @7pm
Borussia Dortmund have for the last few year been Bayern Munich’s rivals for the Bundesliga title.
However, they have failed to stop the Bavarians winning the last 7 successive title and it looks likely, they will fail again this season.
Following a 1-0 home loss to Bayern on Tuesday, coupled with the Bavarian’s 5-0 drubbing of Dusseldorf on Saturday, Dortmund now sits 10 points off the pace with just six games to play.
Sunday’s clash at the Benteler Arena is a must win for Lucien Favre’s side so as to reduce the gap to 7 points in bring back slims hopes of winning a first title since 2012.
For Paderborn, they have been the worst side in the Bundesliga so far and are odds on favourites for the drop come season’s close.
They are currently on a nine game winless run, losing five of those fixtures along the way.
However, they have sort of improved lately, drawing all of their three games since the league resumed.
Paderborn will be without the services of Albanian midfielder Klaus Gjasula through suspension, while Luca Kilian will again miss out with a thigh problem. Streli Mamba has recently overcome a knee problem and should start, though, while Christopher Antwi-Adjei has also shaken off a thigh complaint over the last couple of weeks. There are not expected to be many changes from the side that picked up a point against Augsburg last time out, although Marlon Ritter could take Gjasula’s position in the middle of the park.
For Dortmund, Erling Braut Haaland is expected to miss out with the knee problem that he picked up against Bayern, meaning that a reshuffle in the final third could be required. Haaland’s likely absence could open the door for Jadon Sancho to start. Thorgan Hazard could be given the role through the middle, while Emre Can is also in line to start, having featured twice off the bench since missing the clash with Schalke on May 16 through injury. Dortmund do still have injury problems, however, with Dan-Axel Zagadou, Nico Schulz and Marco Reus all on the sidelines ahead of the contest at the Benteler-Arena.
Dortmund have never lost a competitive match to Paderborn (W3 D2). They average at least two goals in these games. Two of the three Bundesliga meetings between Dortmund and Paderborn have ended in draws. The other fixture saw the Black and Yellows pick up a victory. Dortmund have three players who have scored 10 or more goals in the Bundesliga this season – Erling Haaland (10), Marco Reus (11) and Jadon Sancho (14). Paderborn have scored fewer goals (31) than the combined tally of the three BVB players. Paderborn striker Dennis Srbeny, who joined in January, is currently the joint-highest goalscorer for the club in the Bundesliga with five goals. The 26-year-old has netted four in his last seven appearances. Dortmund have been in good form on the road of late, having won their previous three matches away from home.
Bundesliga other game on Sunday
-Monchengladbach vs Union Berlin @4:30pm
Monday, 01-06-2020
-Koln vs Leipzig @9:30pm
Bundesliga match-day 29 results so far
Friday, 29-05-2020
-Freiburg 0-1 Leverkusen
Saturday, 30-05-2020
-Hertha Berlin 2-0 Augsburg
-Mainz 0-1 Hoffenheim
-Schalke 0-1 Bremen
-Wolfsburg 1-2 Frankfurt
-Bayern 5-0 Dusseldorf
