SC Paderborn 07 vs Schalke 04 preview - Paderborn promise to test Schalke

Posted Wednesday, December 17, 2014 by PA

Paderborn want to crown the most successful year in their history with a Bundesliga win over Schalke on Wednesday night, even if they know they are up against a side who belong in a different league to them.

The East Westphalians were promoted to the top flight of German football for the very first time back in May and they have already given a good account of themselves, picking up 18 points from their first 15 games.

That is only five fewer than guests Schalke, although coach Andre Breitenreiter says they are still a long way behind the Royal Blues.

"They are one of the top five teams in Germany and they are through to the last 16 of the Champions League," he said. "At the same time, though, we still want to beat them.

"We've had an incredible year with 10 wins, five draws and only two defeats from our 17 home games, so that's been extraordinarily successful.

"Now we don't want to exaggerate, but we do want to be self-confident in our last home game of the year."

Such self-confidence and, above all, defiance have characterised Paderborn's play this season, taking them close to the 21 points fellow newcomers Greuther Furth managed in their one season in the top flight and the 25 picked up by Eintracht Braunschweig last season.

They still have two games of the first half of the season still to go and the whole of the second half of the campaign to better those marks and try to keep their place in the top flight next season.

"It's not going to be an easy game for us," said Schalke coach Roberto Di Matteo. "We are warned about our opponents."

On Saturday, Schalke saw a three-game winning streak ended by another club promoted last season, Cologne, and Di Matteo will therefore know not to take Paderborn lightly.

"We still want to get as many points as we can in our remaining two games before the winter break," added the Italian.