Fighting for Bundesliga survival, bottom-of-the-table Borussia Monchengladbach will welcome promoted side SC Paderborn to Borussia-Park on Saturday.

Die Fohlen are hoping to build on their first league win, while the visitors are looking to bounce back from their midweek cup exit.

Match preview

Gladbach have languished at the foot of the table for the majority of the campaign to date, but they may have turned a corner under Alexander Blessin.

The former St Pauli boss was appointed to replace Eugen Polanski in late September, and fans saw progress despite the fact he fell to a 2-1 defeat against FC Koln during his first match in charge, and repeated that result against Hoffenheim a week later.

Supporters were rewarded for trusting the process with a 3-2 victory over Stuttgart on October 23, a clash that showcased Die Fohlen's spirit as they came from behind courtesy of goals from Joe Scally, Shuto Machino and 17-year-old Wael Mohya.

Gladbach will be keen to use that first triumph as a springboard to success this weekend, especially in light of their 2-0 DFB-Pokal win against Karlsruher on Tuesday, which has given everyone at the club cautious optimism.

However, Blessin's side remain at the foot of the table - 18th with just three points to their name - and another victory would likely be insufficient to lift them out of the relegation zone, considering their division-worst defensive record has led them to accrue a goal-difference of -11.

Meanwhile, Ralf Kettemann's Paderborn were promoted from the 2. Bundesliga via the playoff, and while they had initially struggled with the step up, the club seem to have found their feet.

Saturday's visitors failed to win any of their first three top-flight matches, drawing 0-0 with Mainz 05 in their opener before falling to back-to-back defeats against Borussia Dortmund and high-flying Freiburg.

However, earning a 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim on September 20 sparked Kettemann's side into life, and after beating Hamburger SV 1-0 last weekend, the team have grown in confidence and fostered a belief that they can compete at Bundesliga level.

Currently 13th with eight points, Paderborn are two above the relegation zone, and sit equally between their fellow promoted teams - two points ahead of Schalke 04 in 16th and two behind Elversberg in eighth.

The NRW side are yet to win a league game on the road this term, but they have proven resilient so far, only losing once away from home across all competitions.

Kettemann will also be pleased with the fight his team showed during their 1-0 DFB-Pokal elimination by Stuttgart on Wednesday, given they were reduced to 10 men for the majority of the contest yet held out until the 90th minute.

Borussia Monchengladbach Bundesliga form:

Borussia Monchengladbach form (all competitions):

SC Paderborn Bundesliga form:

SC Paderborn form (all competitions):

Team News

Gladbach will be lighter than ideal up front without striker Tim Kleindienst (thigh), winger Franck Honorat (muscle) and attacking midfielder Hugo Bolin (muscle).

In their absence, Robin Hack and Wael Mohya could start behind Shuto Machino, platformed by Florian Neuhaus and Zento Uno in the centre of the park, with Fritz Fleck (muscle) and Enzo Leopold (anterior cruciate ligament) unavailable.

Elsewhere, Kevin Diks will sit out for personal reasons, while fellow centre-back Jan Leszczynski is recovering from a knee injury, so Philipp Sander, Fabio Chiarodia and Daiki Hashioka are likely to form Blessin's three-man defence.

As for Paderborn, they are missing a number of midfielders this weekend, including Oliver Batista Meier (ankle), Timur Gayret (knee), and Sebastian Klaas (hamstring), while Gabriel Vidovic (foot) is doubt.

If Vidovic is not ready to start, then Tom Baack could take his place in the XI alongside Laurin Ulrich and Santiago Castaneda, who will operate behind Steffen Tigges and Stefano Marino up top with Sven Michel also a doubt.

In defence, centre-backs Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant and Marcel Hoffmeier are out due to respective knee and thigh injuries, though Tjark Scheller, Mattes Hansen and Jano ter Horst should play.

Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:

Nicolas; Sander, Chiarodia, Hashioka; Scally, Neuhaus, Uno, Ullrich; Hack, Mohya; Machino

SC Paderborn possible starting lineup:

Noll; Ter Horst, Scheller, Hansen; Curda, Ulrich, Castaneda, Baack, Obermair; Tigges, Marino

We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 SC Paderborn

Gladbach have built momentum under Blessin, and will be raring to go this weekend after successive wins in the league and cup.

That being said, Paderborn are likely to find themselves on the scoresheet against the top flight's leakiest defence.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.