February 28, 2015.
The disappointment of Turin still lingered in the air, but there was no time to dwell on it. The Bundesliga was a relentless machine, and the next match was already upon them. SC Paderborn, a newly promoted team fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, were the visitors to the Westfalenstadion.
On paper, it was a routine home win. But Klopp knew that there was no such thing as a routine win in the Bundesliga. Every team was a threat, every match was a battle. And after the emotional and physical toll of the Juventus match, he was wary of a letdown.
He decided to rotate his squad, to rest some of his key players. Mateo, who had played the full 90 minutes in Turin, was on the bench. And in his place, making his first ever Bundesliga start, was Lukas Schmidt.
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In the dressing room before the match, Lukas was a bundle of nerves. He paced back and forth, his face pale, his hands trembling.
