Match Information
Match Overview
This Regular Season - 2 fixture at the Home Deluxe Arena brings together sides at contrasting points of the early-season table, with SC Paderborn 07 sitting 11th and SC Freiburg occupying 2nd position. Though it is only the second matchday, the gulf in league standing already hints at differing ambitions for the campaign.
The most striking factor heading into this match is the disparity in recent form and momentum. SC Freiburg arrive unbeaten across their last five matches in all competitions, including a 4-1 Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen on August 30, 2026, and Europa Conference League playoff victories over Motherwell both home and away. That run of five straight wins, including a 5-1 DFB Pokal success at Fortuna Düsseldorf on August 23, 2026, points to a squad in excellent rhythm under Julian Schuster. Paderborn, by contrast, opened their Bundesliga campaign with a 0-0 draw away at FSV Mainz 05 on August 29, 2026, and their form in the buildup was more mixed, with draws against Werder Bremen and Phönix Lübeck sandwiched around friendly and cup fixtures.
Squad availability offers little to separate the sides tactically, since both clubs report no injury absences, meaning Ralf Kettemann and Julian Schuster should each be able to select close to full-strength lineups. This makes recent form and quality of results the clearer differentiator rather than squad depth concerns.
For a deeper dive into the numbers, see our see detailed stats here.
Fatigue and schedule congestion are also worth noting for Freiburg, who have played four matches in quick succession across three competitions between August 20 and August 30, 2026, including two Europa Conference League playoff legs. Whether that workload affects their sharpness against a Paderborn side that has had a lighter recent fixture list remains to be seen.
Overall, this match pits Freiburg's early-season momentum and European commitments against a Paderborn team looking to build on a solid defensive start to their Bundesliga campaign.
Predicted Lineups
SC Paderborn 07
N. Noll; J. ter Horst, T. Scheller, M. Hansen; L. Curda, L. Ulrich, S. Castañeda, R. Obermair; M. Pieringer, S. Marino, G. Vidović
SC Freiburg
Mio Backhaus; Lukas Kübler, Matthias Ginter, Philipp Lienhart, Jordy Makengo; Maximilian Eggestein, Yannick Engelhardt, Jan-Niklas Beste, Yuito Suzuki, Derry Scherhant; Igor Matanović
Team Form Analysis
SC Paderborn 07
League Position: 11SC Paderborn 07 Form Analysis
Paderborn's recent form reflects a team still finding its rhythm ahead of the new Bundesliga campaign. Their competitive league opener ended in a goalless draw away at FSV Mainz 05 on August 29, 2026, suggesting defensive solidity but limited attacking output against top-flight opposition. In the DFB Pokal, they secured a 4-2 away win over Phönix Lübeck on August 23, 2026, showing they can be productive in front of goal against lower-tier opposition. Their preseason friendlies also told a story of defensive resilience combined with occasional attacking flourishes, including a 2-2 draw at Werder Bremen on August 8, 2026, and a 2-0 win at VfL Osnabrück on August 1, 2026. Across their last five matches in all competitions, Paderborn have not lost, registering three wins and two draws, though the quality of opposition has varied considerably between competitive Bundesliga football and cup or friendly fixtures. The clean sheet against Mainz will offer encouragement heading into a tougher defensive test against a high-scoring Freiburg side.
SC Freiburg
League Position: 2SC Freiburg Form Analysis
SC Freiburg's form heading into this match is emphatic, with five consecutive wins across three competitions. Their Bundesliga opener produced a commanding 4-1 home win over Werder Bremen on August 30, 2026, immediately signaling attacking intent and offensive quality this season. That result followed a productive run in the UEFA Europa Conference League playoff round, where they defeated Motherwell 3-1 away on August 20, 2026, and 4-1 at home on August 27, 2026, scoring seven goals across the two legs. Their DFB Pokal form was equally impressive, with a 5-1 away victory at Fortuna Düsseldorf on August 23, 2026. Even in preseason, they were dominant, beating Crystal Palace 3-0 at home on August 15, 2026. Across these five matches, Freiburg have scored 19 goals while conceding just 4, a goal difference that underlines both attacking firepower and defensive stability. Currently second in the Bundesliga table, their form suggests a squad well-drilled and confident across multiple competitions.
Head-to-Head
SC Paderborn 07
SC Freiburg
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-01 | SC Freiburg | 1 - 3 | SC Paderborn 07 |
| 2020-01-25 | SC Freiburg | 0 - 2 | SC Paderborn 07 |
| 2019-08-24 | SC Paderborn 07 | 1 - 3 | SC Freiburg |
| 2016-04-29 | SC Paderborn 07 | 1 - 2 | SC Freiburg |
| 2015-11-22 | SC Freiburg | 4 - 1 | SC Paderborn 07 |
| 2015-05-02 | SC Freiburg | 1 - 2 | SC Paderborn 07 |
| 2014-12-06 | SC Paderborn 07 | 1 - 1 | SC Freiburg |
Memorable Matches
The history between these two clubs has produced some notable results. On November 1, 2023, SC Paderborn 07 secured a 3-1 away win at SC Freiburg, a strong scoreline on the road. Their meeting on January 25, 2020, also favored Paderborn, who won 2-0 away at Freiburg. Freiburg have had their moments too, including a 4-1 home win on November 22, 2015, one of the more emphatic results in the fixture's history. The head-to-head record shows a competitive series with goals featuring regularly in both directions, giving this fixture an unpredictable edge whenever the two sides have met.
Venue Factor
The Home Deluxe Arena provides SC Paderborn 07 with home advantage for this Regular Season - 2 fixture. Playing in front of their own supporters, Paderborn will look to draw on home backing to unsettle a Freiburg side that has been in excellent form on the road, including away wins
Injury Concerns
SC Paderborn 07
SC Freiburg
