SC Paderborn 07 host Eintracht Frankfurt at the Home Deluxe Arena on 7 November 2026 for Bundesliga Matchday 9. Paderborn sit 14th with nine points from eight games after earning promotion via the play offs in 2025/26, whereas Frankfurt are eighth with 11 points, four points off the top four. The promoted side are sitting just three points above the relegation zone, which makes the pressure on the home bench fairly obvious.
Ralf Kettemann has been in the Paderborn dugout since July 2025 after taking over from Lukas Kwasniok, while Adi Hütter was appointed Frankfurt head coach on 1 July 2026 to replace Albert Riera and the two managers have never faced each other.
Paderborn are unbeaten in their last three matches, most recently holding Borussia Mönchengladbach to a 0-0 away draw on 31 October, which tells you exactly how Kettemann wants his side to operate. Frankfurt, meanwhile, hammered Hamburger SV 3-1 on 1 November, with the scoreline a reasonable indicator of where their attacking output stands right now.
Paderborn have a cluster of absences that hurt in specific ways. Marcel Hoffmeier is out with a thigh injury, Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant is a doubt with knee and fitness concerns and Sven Michel is unavailable after picking up a knock. Losing Hoffmeier from the back three and Michel up front simultaneously is a real problem, particularly for a side that depends heavily on set pieces and counter attacks to create anything. Frankfurt have concerns of their own: Jessic Ngankam is confirmed out with a thigh problem, Mario Götze is a doubt through illness and Robin Koch has a knee bruise leaving his participation uncertain.
Kettemann sets up in a 3-5-2, prioritising wing back discipline and central compactness and using set pieces as a primary route to goal. Stefano Marino will look to exploit space behind Frankfurt's defence, Mattes Hansen anchors the back three and Santi Castaneda provides midfield control. Hütter prefers a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 that blends possession with fast vertical play. Younes Ebnoutalib leads the line as Frankfurt's top scorer and will give Paderborn's defence problems with his runs in behind, while Ritsu Doan cuts inside from the right and combines well with the overlapping full back. Raphael Onyedika recycles possession and plays quickly forward from the base of midfield. Losing Ngankam removes an aerial option but Frankfurt's attack doesn't depend on delivery into the box, so his absence changes little about how they will set up.
Hansen needs to keep Ebnoutalib quiet in behind and Castaneda has to limit Onyedika's influence in the middle, two tasks that together define what a good Paderborn performance looks like here. If the wing backs push too far forward, Doan will have room between the wing back and the nearest centre back. Frankfurt's high defensive line leaves them exposed to counter attacks in theory, though they press high and recover shape quickly, which has limited that risk in recent weeks. The loss of Hoffmeier hurts Paderborn's structure more than any single Frankfurt absence hurts Frankfurt and without Michel, Marino may find himself isolated if Castaneda cannot get forward to support. Ebnoutalib centrally and Doan wider gives Frankfurt two different problems to solve for a back three already missing its organiser.
Paderborn lead the historical head to head series 3-2 with one draw from six meetings, though the most recent encounter went Frankfurt's way 3-2.
Both teams get something from dead ball situations. Paderborn's compact shape regularly creates corner and free kick opportunities, while Frankfurt's attacking personnel can punish poor marking and that threat is sharper still when the home side is missing two of its most important players. Frankfurt's sustained pressure should generate dead ball chances of their own. Paderborn need at least a point to stay clear of the drop, whereas Frankfurt need three to keep pace with the European places.
Paderborn will make this difficult but the absences of Hoffmeier and Michel make it hard to see them keeping Frankfurt out for 90 minutes. The prediction is a 1-2 Frankfurt win. Ebnoutalib and Doan should find a way through even without Ngankam and Paderborn's defensive shape will make Frankfurt work for it, with the decisive goal likely coming from Frankfurt's bench as Paderborn tire in the final quarter.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
