The Home Deluxe Arena will be the backdrop for an all-Bundesliga clash in the DFB-Pokal's second round on Wednesday, when SC Paderborn welcome Stuttgart.

The hosts are hoping to build on their win last time out, while Die Roten are looking for a first victory in four games.

Match preview

Since their promotion to the top flight via the playoff, Ralf Kettemann's Paderborn have managed the step up in commendable fashion, and the club are set to test their mettle against Stuttgart for the second time this season.

The NRW team were downed 2-0 by Wednesday's opponents on October 10, but they come into this clash in better form than the visitors.

Kettemann's side collected all three points in a 1-0 win over Hamburger SV on Saturday, courtesy of a late strike from Rayan Philippe.

That triumph followed on from a 2-2 stalemate with Werder Bremen a week earlier, meaning that Paderborn's defeat to Stuttgart was their only one from their last four competitive outings.

The hosts will be seen as the underdogs to progress, but after scoring four goals across their four home matches this term, and beating Phonix Lubeck 4-2 in the DFB-Pokal's first round to reach this stage, fans will be cautiously optimistic.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Hoeness's Stuttgart have endured a mixed campaign to date, despite hoping to kick on from their Champions League qualification last season.

Die Roten marked the beginning of their competitive calendar by hammering Hansa Rostock 4-0 in August, though they have won just two of their seven domestic fixtures since, losing five times in the process.

Most recently, Hoeness's side suffered a humiliating 3-2 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach on home turf, surrendering the lead that Ermedin Demirovic had carved out five minutes into the contest.

That result is made siginificantly worse considering the context that Gladbach had yet to earn a single point in the Bundesliga prior to their trip to MHPArena.

Stuttgart will be desperate to avoid another loss on Wednesday, especially against a promoted opponent, but given the visitors have lost three of their four away league matches so far, supporters will be fearing the worst.

SC Paderborn DFB-Pokal form:

SC Paderborn form (all competitions):

Stuttgart DFB-Pokal form:

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

Team News

Paderborn will be without centre-backs Marcel Hoffmeier and Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant once again due to respective muscle and knee injuries, though Jano ter Horst, Tjark Scheller and Mattes Hansen should be ready to start.

The hosts are also down a couple of midfielders, with Sebastian Klaas working his way back from a groin issue, and Timur Gayret dealing with a knee problem.

In their absence, Santiago Castaneda could be joined by Laurin Ulrich and Gabriel Vidovic in the centre of the park, platforming a strike partnership of Stefan Marino and Steffen Tigges, with Oliver Batista Meier sidelined due to an ankle injury.

As for Stuttgart, they are missing centre-back Dan-Axel Zagadou and right-back Josha Vagnoman, both of whom have hamstring injuries.

With that in mind, Finn Jeltsch and Ramon Hendriks could operate at the heart of the visiting defence, flanked by full-backs Lorenz Assignon and Maximilian Mittelstadt.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Nikolas Nartey and Tiago Tomas are both out with muscle injuries, while Justin Diehl is recovering from a thigh problem, so Dzenan Pejcinovic may start up top, supported by a trio of Leo Sauer, Ermedin Demirovic and Chris Fuhrich.

SC Paderborn possible starting lineup:

Schubert; Ter Horst, Scheller, Hansen; Curda, Ulrich, Castaneda, Vidovic, Obermair; Marino, Tigges

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Bredlow; Assignon, Jeltsch, Hendriks, Vagnoman; Karazor, Stiller; Sauer, Demirovic, Fuhrich; Pejcinovic

We say: SC Paderborn 2-1 Stuttgart

Paderborn may have been beaten by Stuttgart earlier this month, but they will be optimistic after their win last time out, especially in light of their opponents' strife.

Stuttgart are in dire domestic form, and it would not be surprising to see them fall short once again on the road.

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