One point and a place separate Heidenheim and Borussia Monchengladbach before both sides battle in gameweek 26 of the Bundesliga at Voith-Arena on Saturday.
The home side are going through their worst run since promotion to the top division, while Gladbach are keen to leapfrog their hosts by extending their ongoing unbeaten league run to four matches, even if they suffered a shock cup exit in mid-week.
Match preview
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Heidenheim have hitherto problem-solved fairly comfortably since their first Bundesliga game since promotion, but three losses in their last four games is their worst run in the big time.
Frank Schmidt's men have suffered one more loss in their current run than the two losses suffered in the previous 12 league matches, highlighting ongoing struggles for performances and results.
Back-to-back losses in front of their fans are a far cry from the six-match undefeated run that preceded both defeats, highlighting worrying signs for this weekend's hosts.
They seek to avoid a third straight reverse at Voith-Arena, but two defeats against the Foals in 2023-24 — 2-1 loss in the reverse fixture this term and a 3-1 loss in the DFB-Pokal inspire minimal confidence before kick-off.
Having slipped into the league's bottom half because of recent results, Schmidt's men could move level with ninth-placed Augsburg if they win this weekend and Wolfsburg beat the latter.
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Gladbach may have played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with FC Koln last weekend, but a shock quarter-final loss against this season's giant-killing Saarbrucken in the Cup means the Foals are ending this year without a trophy.
A cup exit leaves Gerardo Seoane's men with little to play for this season; they are 13 points behind an Eintracht Frankfurt side occupying the final European spot, while a nine-point advantage on Koln and an 11-point margin over Mainz suggests they are not battling for survival.
One target for the rest of the season could be to improve a wretched road record that has seen Die Fohlen fail to win any away match since a 3-1 victory at Bochum in late September.
That run, effectively preventing Seoane's men from a place in the DFB-Pokal semis, is nearing its sixth-month mark, and they hope to take advantage of Heidenheim's ongoing wobble after a commendable start this term.
A point was secured in their recent Bundesliga match against Mainz, seeing the Foals' record in away trips read three draws and six defeats in nine fixtures, the worst return of any top-flight side on the road since the start of October.
While it remains to be seen if this hinders Gladbach on Saturday, one win in 20 away games does not bode well, regardless of the opposition's current form.
Team News
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Benedikt Gimber is absent for the hosts after picking up five yellow cards, ruling out the midfielder this weekend.
Expected injury absentees include Marvin Pieringer (hip), Adrian Beck (ankle), Lennard Maloney (knee), Thomas Keller (knee) and Elidon Qenaj (knee).
Jan-Niklas Beste's corners have resulted in a league-high eight goals, and that set-piece threat could be a weapon for the hosts.
However, the away side have the statistically next-best thing from dead balls, with Gladbach scoring seven times from Franck Honorat's corners.
The visitors are without the injured Maximilian Wober (muscle), Alassane Plea (foot) and Tomas Cvancara (ankle).
Heidenheim possible starting lineup:
Muller; Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Fohrenbach; Schoppner, Maloney; Dinkci, Dovedan, Beste; Kleindienst
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Elvedi, Itakura, Wober; Honorat, Kone, Weigl, Neuhaus, Netz; Jordan, Hack
We say: Heidenheim 2-1 Borussia Monchengladbach
Despite losing two in a row on their turf, Heidenheim should have enough to inflict a seventh Bundesliga away defeat on Gladbach, who cannot cobble sturdy road performances.
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