2. Bundesliga Preview: VfL Bochum vs. SC Paderborn

SC Paderborn will have another opportunity to close the gap with the top three when they travel to the in-form Bochum side.

VfL Bochum entertain promotion hopefuls Paderborn in one of the closing fixtures of matchday 22 in the 2. Bundesliga.

VfL Bochum

After a difficult Hinrunde, Bochum are unbeaten since the league resumed in 2026. Although three of their four games ended in draws, they managed to beat the then-league leaders Schalke with an emphatic display.

However, there is still a danger of entering the relegation scrap for Uwe Rösler’s side with only four points between the tenth-placed team and the relegation/promotion playoff spot.

SC Paderborn

Successive home wins revamped Paderborn’s promotion hopes after a struggling end to the first half of the season. Without their suspended coach Ralf Kettemann, they managed to beat Nürnberg with two early goals on matchday 21.

With Darmstadt dropping points away at Eintracht Braunschweig, winning this game would put Paderborn level on points with the team that started the matchday at the summit of 2. Bundesliga.

Predicted Lineups

Bochum: Horn ©; Morgalla, Loosli, Strompf, Wittek; Lenz, Onyeka; Miyoshi, Holtmann; Hofmann, Marshall

Paderborn: Seimen; Scheller, Götze ©, Sticker; Curda, Baur, Castaneda, Obermair; Michel, Tigges, Klaas