Paderborn – Nuremberg

In Friday’s crucial encounter, the rivals will be counting on the attack

In contrast to those clubs that have been considered the main favourites for promotion in the Second Bundesliga since the off-season, Paderborn have been more stable. This club is far from always winning, but picks up points in almost every meeting. With many teams around them producing winning streaks, but then losing several consecutive games with the same success, Paderborn's movement through the season has earned them the current second place, one point away from the leader. After an unsuccessful return to the Bundesliga for one year, Nuremberg is now in its sixth consecutive season in Germany's second division. Nurnberg finished the previous seasons in the middle of the standings, focusing more on the task of maintaining their place in the Second Bundesliga than on the prospects of promotion. After the team was led by the great forward Miroslav Klose, Nürnberg is starting to take shape of a new ambitious project, which now occupies 7-8 places in the unusually high density of the standings. Bookmakers have identified the home team as favourites for the upcoming encounter, offering odds of 1.88 on their victory. Hard to believe, but in the past twelve rounds Paderborn suffered only one defeat. The team also in previous seasons showed successful starts, after which they often lost their playing form. However, at the moment Paderborn's strategy is to be unyielding and not to squander even one point if they have to take risks to win. This thesis is supported by the fact that half of Paderborn's league matches have ended in draws. Including Hamburg and Fortuna Düsseldorf. Nuremberg with Klose on the coaching bridge is trying to play not as pragmatic as its upcoming opponent. In October, the team won three games in the Second Bundesliga with a combined score of 14-5. Even many hockey fans would be envious of the 8-3 win over Regensburg. Given that Nurnberg's last match ended unexpectedly with a 0-0 scoreline, let's bet that the team will realise its attacking potential in Paderborn, and the hosts will accept the attacking conditions of the game.