Two Bundesliga teams struggling at the wrong end of the table square off at Voith-Arena on Saturday afternoon as Heidenheim play host to SV Darmstadt 98.
Both sides have previously met on 20 occasions in the second and third tiers of German football, but this will be their first-ever encounter against one another in the top fight.
Match preview
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Heidenheim have begun their first-ever Bundesliga season by accumulating 11 points from their opening 13 games, the second-lowest total by a top-flight debutant after Greuther Furth (eight points) in 2012-13.
Since claiming a surprise 2-0 home victory over high-flying Stuttgart in early November, Heidenheim have picked up just one point from their last three games, with a goalless draw with VfL Bochum sandwiched between away defeats to Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, losing 2-1 to the latter last weekend.
Despite that, Frank Schmidt's side sit two points clear of the relegation zone in 14th place and they could climb to as high as 12th in the table if they beat Darmstadt on Saturday and other results were to go their way.
It is fair to say that Heidenheim, who won the 2. Bundesliga title last season, have fared better on home soil so far this season as they have collected 10 of their 11 Bundesliga points at Voith-Arena, while they have kept a clean sheet in each of their last two home games versus Stuttgart and Bochum.
FCH will fancy their chances of claiming a priceless victory in their bid to avoid relegation when they face Darmstadt on Saturday, as they have won each of their last four home meetings with Die Lilien by an aggregate score of 7-1.
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Competing in the Bundesliga for the first time in six years, Darmstadt have endured a difficult start to the 2023-24 campaign, winning just two, drawing three and losing eight of their opening 13 matches.
Die Lilien have failed to win each of their last six top-flight games, concluding the month of November with successive draws against Mainz 05 and Freiburg before suffering a slender 1-0 home defeat to basement club Koln last weekend.
Victory for Koln helped them climb off the foot of the table and out of the relegation zone, with Darmstadt slipping to 16th place, the relegation playoff position, but Torsten Lieberknecht's side could leapfrog both Koln and Heidenheim with victory over the latter this weekend.
Defensive frailties have been a key factor behind Darmstadt's slow start to the campaign as they have already conceded a league-high 34 goals, including 19 shipped in their first six games away from home, more than any other team in the division.
Keeping the ball out of the net will be key for Die Lilien if they wish to claim maximum points at Voith-Arena where they have only won one of their last 10 visits.
Team News
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Heidenheim are still having to cope without Thomas Keller and Elidon Qenaj who are nursing knee injuries, while Lennard Maloney is doubtful after sustaining a knock in the defeat at Leipzig.
Schmidt deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation last weekend, but he may revert to a four-man defence versus Darmstadt, and the potential absence of midfielder Maloney – who started in a back three last time out – could see Adrian Beck return to the first XI.
Eren Dinkci is available for selection after serving a one-match suspension last weekend, and the winger could be recalled to the starting lineup at the expense of Marvin Pieringer, allowing Tim Kleindienst to move into the centre-forward role.
As for Darmstadt, star midfielder Marvin Mehlem is set to miss the rest of the season with a fractured fibula sustained against Koln, while Matthias Bader (hip), Christoph Zimmermann, Fraser Hornby, Braydon Manu (all ankle) and Fabio Torsiello (buttocks) all remain sidelined with injuries.
The absence of Mehlem could see Fabian Holland move from left-back into midfield alongside Klaus Gjasula and Fabian Nurnberger, with Emir Karic deputising on the left side of a back four.
Tim Skarke is set to continue on the right flank while Bader continues to recover from injury, so either Luca Pfeiffer or Aaron Seydel – who are both yet to score in the Bundesliga this season – could be tasked with leading the line.
Heidenheim possible starting lineup:
Muller; Traore, Mainka, Gimber, Fohrenbach; Schoppner, Theuerkauf; Dinkci, Beck, Beste; Kleindienst
SV Darmstadt 98 possible starting lineup:
Schuhen; Muller, Maglica, Klarer, Karic; Skarke, Gjasula, Holland, Nurnberger, Honsak; Pfeiffer
We say: Heidenheim 2-1 SV Darmstadt 98
A closely-fought contest between two teams desperate to returning to winning way and climb away from danger is set to take place on Saturday.
Taking into account Heidenheim's home form and Darmstadt's struggles on the road, we believe that the hosts will do just enough to grind out hard-fought victory to remain outside of the bottom three.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
