VfL Wolfsburg and SC Paderborn 07 played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Bundesliga promotion/relegation playoff clash on Thursday night. The outcome leaves the contest wide open ahead of the second leg in Paderborn on 25 May at 20:30 CEST.

The under-pressure Wolves, sitting 16th in the Bundesliga with 29 points from 34 games, dominated possession and created several chances but couldn’t convert them into goals against a well-organized Paderborn side. The second-placed team in the 2. Bundesliga will now travel to Wolfsburg with everything to play for.

Wolfsburg’s Bundesliga legacy and Paderborn’s promotion dreams

Wolfsburg, a club that has been a Bundesliga mainstay since 1997, boasts an impressive trophy cabinet including the 2009 German championship and a 2016 UEFA Champions League quarter-final run. The club also served as the platform where Kevin De Bruyne rose to global prominence during the 2014-15 season.

For Paderborn, this play-off represents a golden opportunity to return to the top flight for the first time since 2020. The third-placed side in the second division will be seeking to capitalize on Wolfsburg’s recent struggles to secure their spot in next season’s Bundesliga.

By Yacouba Ouédraogo — Investigative journalist