Opposition Check: SC Paderborn 07

18 match days have now been played. And SCP is in eighth place in the crowded 2nd Bundesliga with a total of 28 points – just three points behind a direct promotion spot. Where does the SCP’s path lead this season? The duel next Sunday (January 26th/1:30pm) at SV Darmstadt 98 could provide answers – even if it is early in the second half of the season. Are East Westphalia keeping up with the top places? Or will they be overtaken by the Lilies? Before these and other questions are answered in the Merck Stadium at the Böllenfalltor, let’s take a closer look at the upcoming opponent.

Honest. Direct. Authentic. Anyone who is given these three attributes in the football business will quickly be labeled as a “real guy”. A guy who is not above expressing his opinion clearly and concisely. Straightforward, without empty phrases. One person who does this image justice is Lukas Kwasniok, the head coach of SC Paderborn. “I’m probably one of those coaches where you have to worry that I’ll knock someone out,” the 43-year-old once told the Association of German Sports Journalists.

The native Pole also likes to show off his sense of humour. When rumours about FC Bayern Munich’s search for a coach arose well before the season, Kwasniok promptly gave the record champions a clear rejection with a wink. „Absolutely no way. “I’ll proactively join in and just cancel,” joked the SCP coach, who has been on the sidelines for East Westphalia since summer 2021.

The Paderborn team guided the football teacher from 1. FC Saarbrücken to North Rhine-Westphalia. With the Saarland team, Kwasniok had previously managed to win the championship in the Regionalliga Südwest and thus gain promotion to the 3rd league. The 43-year-old is also building on his successful past position at SC Paderborn. In recent seasons he has always managed to place the SCP in the upper midfield of the table – always within reach of the promotion places. Kwasniok has now been in the Paderborn head coach’s chair for more than 128 games – only Steffen Baumgart (166) and Günther Rybarczyk (209) coached more games for Paderborn.

SV Darmstadt 98 should be particularly vigilant as soon as the referee blows the whistle for the second half. From this point on, SC Paderborn is particularly in a goal-scoring mood. Of their 30 goals this season, the East Westphalians only scored eight in the first 45 minutes, while they scored the other 22 goals in the second half. The Lilies should pay particular attention to the final phase: In this phase, the Darmstadt team conceded eight goals – from the 76th minute to the final whistle. SC Paderborn has already been successful ten times in this phase – only Düsseldorf (11) has scored more goals in this phase of the game.

Without joy in the game there is no football. This realisation shapes Filip Bilbija’s career. He started at Berliner SC when he was just five years old. He not only spent ten years of his youth there, but also played under his father and together with his older brother. Nevertheless, playing football with his friends during school breaks was often what he enjoyed more than training in a club. After moving to Tennis Borussia Berlin, the then young player was in danger of completely losing sight of his dream of professional football. Only a viewing tournament brought the turning point and opened the doors. One thing was clear to Bilbija: “I won’t move to Hertha or Union. I have to get out of Berlin so as not to be distracted,” said Bilbija in an interview on the YouTube channel “EinfachSergen”.

Get out of the capital and go to Bavaria. FC Ingolstadt became his first professional station. Here he established himself in men’s football. In 2022, the offensive player moved to Hamburger SV. But a lack of playing time sapped his self-confidence. “There were two or three months in Hamburg when my self-confidence was pretty low,” admitted the now 24-year-old. A new start followed in 2023 with the move to SC Paderborn.

Here in East Westphalia, Bilbija found his way back to what excited him as a child: the pure joy of playing. With five goals and four assists, he is currently his team’s top scorer. Bilbija: “Paderborn is the first team in professional football where I am and still feel like a teenager. This makes me enjoy football more again.“