Paderborn 2019/20 season preview

bundesliga.com takes a closer look at what to expect from last season's Bundesliga 2 runners-up...

Aims in 2019/20

Paderborn are back for a second bite at the Bundesliga cherry, after beating Union Berlin to an automatic promotion berth by virtue of their superior number of goals scored.

It's an achievement made all the more remarkable when you consider Paderborn were playing in the Third Division as recently as 2017/18.

Current coach Steffen Baumgart has revived fortunes at the Benteler-Arena, however, overseeing two successive promotions for a side outwardly on the up.

Staying up is the objective, but doing so without promotion-winning talismen Philipp Klement and Bernard Tekpetey - who hit 26 of the team's 76 goals in 2018/19, before moving on to pastures new in the summer - might be easier said than done.

Player to watch

Step forward ex-New York City FC striker Shelton - only the second Paderborn squad member after defensive stalwart Uwe Hünemeier to have played senior club football alongside FIFA World Cup winners.

Only time will tell if any of the decorated duo's magic has rubbed off on the American forward - injury restricted Shelton to just two Bundesliga 2 appearances during the 2018/19 Rückrunde - but he has been playing in pre-season and certainly has the frame to ruffle a few top-flight feathers.

With Sebastian Vasiliadis and Christopher Antwi-Adjei manning the supply lines - the pair produced 10 and six Bundesliga 2 assists respectively last term - the 6'3" Shelton will get chances.

If he can take them, Paderborn will have a fighting chance of staying afloat.

IN: Cauly (Duisburg), Johannes Dörfler (Uerdingen), Marcel Hilßner (Hansa Rostock), Gerrit Holtmann (Mainz, loan), Jannik Huth (Mainz), Laurent Jans (FC Metz, loan), Rifet Kapic (Grasshoppers Zürich) Luca Kilian (Borussia Dortmund II), Streli Mamba (Energie Cottbus), Jan-Luca Rumpf (Sportfreunde Siegen)

OUT: Lukas Boeder (Duisburg), Felix Drinkuth (Hallescher FC), Julius Düker (SV Meppen), Leon Fesser (released), Sergio Gucciardo (Alemannia Aachen, loan), Sascha Heil (FC Gießen), Felix Herzenbruch (Rot-Weiss Essen), Mohammed Kamara (LA Galaxy), Philipp Klement (VfB Stuttgart), Luca Pfeiffer (Würzburger Kickers), Oliver Schindler (Lippstadt), Bernard Tekpetey (Schalke), Philipp Tietz (Wehen Wiesbaden)

How they might line up

Stadium

Paderborn's Benteler-Arena home is the smallest in the Bundesliga, providing room for just 15,000 spectators, of which 5,800 are seated.

The stadium was officially opened with a match against Borussia Dortmund in July 2008 and was rebranded under its current moniker in June 2012.

Like the majority of German clubs, Paderborn like to do their bit for the environment and encourage supporters to arrive by bicycle, offering 2,000 stations for bikes to be locked at - more than any other club in the Bundesliga.

First five fixtures

Matchday 1: Bayer Leverkusen (a) – Saturday, 17 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 2: Freiburg (h) – Saturday, 24 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 3: Wolfsburg (a) – Saturday, 31 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 4: Schalke (h) – Saturday, 15 September, 6pm CEST
Matchday 5: Hertha Berlin (a) – Saturday, 21 September, 3.30pm CEST