The fight to avoid relegation intensifies this Friday night when rock-bottom Paderborn try to find a way pas Fortuna Düsseldorf, with three critical points at stake (kick-off 8:30pm CET/7:30pm GMT/3:30pm ET).
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With just one Bundesliga win to their name so far in 2020, Fortuna are in desperate need of a fillip, and there could hardly be a better time for it than on Friday night. Scoring has not been a problem for Uwe Rösler's men, who last drew a blank at the end of January, mainly thanks to the recent form of Erik Thommy, but it is at the other end of the field where concerns remain. USMNT international goalkeeper Zack Steffen is back in training after a knee injury but Florian Kastenmeier is likely to continue between the sticks. Alfredo Morales is expected to return to the starting line-up in central midfield, while top-scoring Rouwen Hennings - who was left on the bench for the draw at Mainz last time out having not scored yet in 2020 - should come in to partner Kenan Karaman up front after the Turkey forward scored the late equaliser last Sunday.
Paderborn roll into town with plenty of concerns of their own. A four-game losing streak has entrenched them at the bottom of the table and Friday 13th risks being an unlucky number for Steffen Baumgart's men, who have lost their last two Friday night outings. If it doesn't rain, it pours for Paderborn, with left winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei picking up a thigh strain which could rule him out. Gerrit Holtmann should come in with Abdelhamid Sabiri also set to start in central midfield. Sven Michel is out with a groin injury. This game could also come too soon for Luca Kilian, leaving Baumgart's options limited for a must-win game in Düsseldorf.
Watch: Highlights of Fortuna's 1-1 draw with Mainz
Match stats
Fortuna have only lost one of six Bundesliga games under Rösler.
Thommy has scored three goals in six games under Rösler. He found the net twice across his previous 19 outings with Friedhelm Funkel at the helm.
However, Düsseldorf's 11-goal top scorer Hennings has not scored in eight matches.
Paderborn have never won a Friday night game in the Bundesliga (D3, L3).
Steffen Baumgart's side have already lost as many matches (17) after 25 rounds of fixtures as they did over the entire course of the 2014/15 campaign, when they finished bottom.
With four goals in eight games, Dennis Srbeny is already up to second in the Paderborn scoring charts, one behind Streli Mamba.
Probable line-ups
Fortuna: Kastenmeier - Ayhan, Hoffmann, Suttner - Zimmermann, Morales, Stöger, Berisha, Thommy - Karaman, Hennings (c)
Out: Kownacki (knee)
Doubtful: Steffen (knee)
Coach: Uwe Rösler
Paderborn: Zingerle - Jans, Strohdiek (c), Schonlau, Collins - Vasiliadis, Gjasula, Sabiri - Pröger, Srbeny, Holtmann
Out: Hünemeier (knock), Kilian (hamstring), Mamba (knee), Michel (groin)
Doubtful: Antwi-Adjei (thigh)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart