Bundesliga newcomers in a state of emergency
“I’ll take him to the hospital too”
May 26, 2026 – 7:50 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
SC Paderborn is promoted to the Bundesliga for the third time. After the victory in the relegation all dams broke in East Westphalia.
Paderborn had missed one great opportunity after another – until Laurin Curda came along. In the 100th minute, the SC Paderborn full-back scored the redeeming 2-1, which meant promotion to the Bundesliga. The favorite from Wolfsburg was defeated. After the triumph in the emotional relegation, the party started.
“I still can’t believe it,” said Curda: “It’s crazy what’s going on here. You only know it from TV and suddenly you’re right in the middle of it. As a little boy, it’s a dream and it’s now coming true.” He “probably won’t sleep at all” until the official promotion ceremony on Tuesday afternoon at the town hall.
“I’ll be full of beets”
Goalkeeper Dennis Seimen could “hardly put into words what was going on inside me.” The goalkeeper, on loan from Stuttgart, said: “We’re all party animals today. I go everywhere and I’m there everywhere.” Seimen could also rely on veteran Sven Michel. “It will be very, very long tonight – until tomorrow and much, much longer,” said the goalscorer. For Ralf Kettemann, Michel had the task of “shooting himself completely out of life.” The 35-year-old even offered to help him if the worst came to the worst: “I’ll take him to the hospital too. I don’t care at all, but he has to kill himself completely.”
For Kettemann himself, the feelings were initially “difficult to describe. I needed some rest for a moment. It was very intense and tough,” he said on Sky: “It was surreal. I had to give myself a moment to breathe deeply.” But he wanted to carry out his player Sven Michel’s order, or at least Kettemann said later: “We’ll kick someone through the table tonight. And tomorrow too. And the day after tomorrow too, and the day after that too.” When asked whether he would be present at possible contract discussions with players the day after promotion, Kettemann said. “No way, I’ll be full as hell.”
If Kettemann goes through tables the day after tomorrow, the winning goalscorer Curda will no longer be there. Because he has an important appointment this week. “I still have a wedding to celebrate on Friday. That’s why the plan is a bit tight.”
