Hoping to distance themselves from the Bundesliga's relegation zone, SC Paderborn will welcome European hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt to Home Deluxe Arena on Saturday.

The hosts are searching for their second win in six games, while Die Adler could earn a third on the bounce.

Match preview

Ralf Kettemann's Paderborn have performed admirably since making the step up from the second division, but they will be looking over their shoulder ahead of a tough challenge this weekend.

Saturday's hosts are currently 14th in the Bundesliga with nine points, sitting just two above 16th-placed Union Berlin in the relegation playoff spot.

Last time out, Kettemann's side were held to a 0-0 draw by Borussia Monchengladbach, failing to score for the second successive match.

In fact, only Schalke 04 have netted fewer than Paderborn's six goals in the German top flight this season, a concerning trait that the manager will be need to address in order to stave off the threat of demotion.

That being said, the promoted club have maintained an impressive defensive record so far, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich the only teams to have conceded less than their nine in eight matches.

Another positive for the hosts is the fact a win could lift them into the top half, considering they are level on points with every club up to 10th-placed Augsburg, and are just one behind ninth-placed Mainz 05.

Meanwhile, Adi Hutter's Frankfurt have been inconsistent for the majority of the 2026-27 campaign so far, though the club will be keen to prove they have turned a corner.

Die Adler beat Hamburger SV 3-1 at home last time out, and by the same score away in the DFB-Pokal just days earlier, marking the first time they have recorded back-to-back wins this season.

That latest success has Hutter's men eighth with 11 points, just two shy of sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen in the race for Europe.

Heading into Saturday's showdown, Frankfurt have now won three of their last four outings across all competitions, only succumbing to a 1-0 defeat at Dortmund on October 24.

However, the visitors have come out on top in just one of their four Bundesliga away games this term - downing Mainz 3-1 in mid-September - while conceding 11 goals in the process.

SC Paderborn Bundesliga form:

SC Paderborn form (all competitions):

Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga form:

Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):

Team News

Paderborn will be without Marcel Hoffmeier due to a thigh injury, as well as fellow centre-back Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant, who returned to training late last month but is still building fitness after a lengthy layoff.

In their absence, Tjark Scheller, Mattes Hansen and Jano ter Horst look set to start in Kettemann's three-man defence, flanked by wing-backs Laurin Curda and Raphael Obermair.

Elsewhere, midfielder Timur Gayret remains sidelined with a knee injury, though Santiago Castaneda, Tom Baack and Gabriel Vidovic should be on hand to operate in the centre of the park.

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

With that in mind, striker Jonathan Burkardt will be supported by a trio of Ritsu Doan, Can Uzun and Fares Chaibi on Saturday.

There are also question marks bout the fitness of centre-half Robin Koch, who only trained partially this week after picking up a knock to his knee, but Lilian Brassier and Jeremiaha Maluze will be ready to line up at the heart of Hutter's defence if he is unavailable.

SC Paderborn possible starting lineup:

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

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:

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

We say: SC Paderborn 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt

Paderborn have struggled to score this season, but given their commendable record at the back, they are unlikely to suffer a thrashing this weekend.

Frankfurt will be buoyed by their improved results in recent weeks, though they will need to defy their form on the road to secure all three points, so expect to see a close-fought game.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.