Bundesliga Season Starts: Paderborn's Promotion Hero on Club's Attractiveness

SC Paderborn kicks off its third Bundesliga season this Saturday with an away match against FSV Mainz 05. This season marks a significant departure from the club's previous promotions in 2014 and 2019. Unlike those instances, Paderborn enters the campaign debt-free and has already invested nearly ten million euros in acquiring new players. Nevertheless, the team from East Westphalia is once again considered a significant underdog, a role they have embraced in past seasons.

André Breitenreiter, the coach who led Paderborn to their first Bundesliga promotion in 2014, shared his insights on the club's evolution in an interview with the German Press Agency (dpa). He described the initial promotion as a "miracle," highlighting the team's underdog status after narrowly avoiding relegation in the second division the year prior. Breitenreiter credits that promotion with setting the stage for sustained development and a solidly managed club, characterized by trust in its leadership.

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This Bundesliga promotion back then set the course for a very successful future up to the present day. For steady development, for a totally solidly managed club, in which there is always a lot of trust for the people in charge.

He specifically recalled the late president Wilfried Finke's clear vision post-promotion: prioritizing debt reduction, developing training facilities, and building essential infrastructure. This strategic focus, with minimal investment in new players initially, has allowed SC Paderborn to consistently progress. Breitenreiter suggests this steady path now offers the club a genuine chance to remain in the Bundesliga.

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We were relegated very unluckily back then – only on the last matchday with 31 points. With this number of points, we would have stayed up in some other seasons.

Reflecting on past seasons, Breitenreiter noted Paderborn's unfortunate relegation in 2014, despite accumulating 31 points, a tally that would have secured survival in other seasons. He emphasized the critical role of a strong start, fueled by promotion euphoria, in that campaign. Breitenreiter believes a similar fast start is vital this season, contrasting it with the subsequent promotion under Steffen Baumgart, which ended in a swift relegation. He expressed confidence that the club's continuous development and the dedication of its people have elevated it to a level where it can now compete effectively in the Bundesliga.

Regarding the departures of key players like Mika Baur and Filip Bilbija, Breitenreiter acknowledged these as significant losses. However, he stressed that smaller clubs must always contend with such situations, as top performances naturally attract interest. He views these player movements as a win-win scenario for both the players and the club, particularly given Paderborn's current standing.

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Of course, these are big losses for a team. But you always have to live with that in smaller clubs. Top performances and successes awaken desires.