Bundesliga 2019-20: Borussia Dortmund vs Paderborn preview, predicted line-ups and key facts

Match Preview

Following the final two Euro 2020 Qualifiers, Bundesliga action resumes this weekend. On matchday 12, Borussia Dortmund welcome bottom side Paderborn to the Signal Iduna Park.

Like defending champions Bayern Munich, Dortmund are one of six clubs to have lost two league games this term - at newly-promoted Union Berlin on matchday three before a comprehensive thrashing by Bayern themselves last time out.

Despite those losses, they are in stark contrast to Paderborn's woeful form: the only club across Germany's top-flight too have won just once this season, while their tally of 26 goals conceded is only dwarfted by 16th-placed Mainz with 30.

Kick-off information

Date: 23 November 2019

Time: 20:30 hours (local time), 20:00 hours IST.

Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund.

TV Coverage: Star Sports Select (India).

Form Guide

Borussia Dortmund

Reus, pictured here against Slavia Prague, has led by example with Dortmund this term

Dortmund's seven-match unbeaten league run came to an abrupt halt after their 4-0 thrashing by Bayern last time out. Captain Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer are the club's top scorers in the Bundesliga this term, with five goals apiece.

Paderborn

As previously mentioned, Paderborn's poor league record this season is reiterated on all fronts - defensively and in a creative sense too. In their five previous away fixtures, they've drawn once and lost four while scoring just three games over that time.

Last 5 Bundesliga games (most recent game first)

Paderborn: LLWLL

Borussia Dortmund: LWDWD

Last 5 home games (Borussia Dortmund)

Dortmund have won four of their five home games this term - the other a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen - while also keeping three clean sheets during this same period.

Borussia Dortmund: WWDWW

Last 5 away games (Paderborn)

Paderborn have lost all but one of their five away league fixtures this term, with that being their 1-1 draw with VfL Wolfsburg on matchday three.

Paderborn: LLLDL

Head-to-head

Dortmund and Paderborn have only met on four competitive meetings, two coming in the 2014-15 Bundesliga campaign with the other pair both DFB-Pokal cup encounters. So with that in mind, across all competitions the two stack up like this:

Paderborn: No wins.

Borussia Dortmund: Three wins - BVB have won one and drew the other, from their two league fixtures to date

Draws: One draw.

Team news

Borussia Dortmund

Thomas Delaney (ankle) is the only injury worry for Dortmund coach Lucien Favre to contend with ahead of this weekend's game.

Paderborn

As for Saturday's visitors, coach Steffen Baumgart also has a full contingent of players to choose from - Marlon Ritter (groin) the only exception.

Probable line-ups

Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Roman Bürki; Lukasz Piszczek, Manuel Akanji, Mats Hummels, Achraf Hakimi; Axel Witsel, Julian Weigl; Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus (c), Thorgan Hazard; Paco Alcacer.

Paderborn (4-4-1-1): Leopold Zingerle; Mohamed Dräger, Luca Kilian, Sebastian Schonlau (c), Jamilu Collins; Kai Pröger, Klaus Gjasula, Abdelhamid Sabiri, Gerrit Holtmann; Sebastian Vasiliadis; Sven Michel.

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Odds

Borussia Dortmund to win: 1/8

Paderborn to win: 18/1

Draw: 8/1

All the above odds are courtesy Bet365.

Key match facts

#1: Dortmund and Signal Iduna Park being a fortress

Across all competitions this term, Dortmund are unbeaten in eight home games - conceding just three goals while scoring 15 themselves. Paderborn will not relish the tough trip which lies ahead, against a side who justifiably believe they can sustain an even better title charge after missing out last term.

#2: Goal shy Paderborn

Paderborn's eleven goals in 11 Bundesliga games is only dwarfed by 17th-placed Koln's tally of 10 in comparison. The strugglers have only scored four goals in five away games this term, including blanks at Hoffenheim and Koln themselves recently.

#3: No Bundesliga team this season has lost more often than Paderborn has

With nine defeats in 11 games, Paderborn have the most losses of any Bundesliga team to start the 2019-20 campaign. The six previous teams to have avoided defeat just twice by matchday-11 in Germany's top-flight have all suffered relegation at the end of that consequent season.

Also check out: Bundesliga schedule Champions league top scorers Champions League table