Bundesliga | Gameweek 27

Mar 29, 2025 at 2.30pm UK

VOLKSWAGEN ARENA

Wolfsburg vs Heidenheim

Match preview

After finishing 12th last season with 37 points, Wolfsburg have already amassed 38 points with eight Bundesliga games remaining this term, and are involved in a fierce battle for a top-six finish.

However, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side should be higher up the table than their current position of eighth - four points off the top six and seven adrift of the Champions League places - having won just two of their last nine league games since mid-January (D5 L2).

Wolfsburg's seven-match unbeaten run came to an end before the international break with a narrow 1-0 away defeat to fellow top-six contenders Augsburg, who withstood a late spell of pressure from the Wolves to hold on for all three points after Phillip Tietz scored the winner eight minutes from time.

Most teams would relish a return to home soil, but Hasenhuttl's side have won just three of their 13 Bundesliga games at the Volkswagen Arena this season. The Wolves have collected eight points fewer at home (15) than on the road (23), the biggest discrepancy in the division.

Wolfsburg go into Saturday's game having drawn six Bundesliga home games, including each of their last four; only once before, between September and November 2017, have they drawn five consecutive top-flight home games.

Heidenheim went into the international break on a high, ending a nine-game winless run in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 home win over fellow strugglers Holstein Kiel - just their fifth top-flight win of the season.

Goals from Marvin Pieringer, Budu Zivzivadze and Sirlord Conteh secured three valuable points for FCH, who leapfrogged Kiel into 17th place and moved to within a point of VfL Bochum, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.

Frank Schmidt, who has been in charge of Heidenheim since 2007, has eight games to save his side from the drop, with their next four matches against teams currently in the top eight, starting with a trip to Wolfsburg on Saturday, followed by tricky encounters with Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich.

Heidenheim have taken five points from their last four Bundesliga games (W1 D2 L1), as many as they had taken from their previous 17 matches combined, and after beating Holstein Kiel last time out, FCH will be looking to win back-to-back Bundesliga games for only the second time this season (they previously did so on the opening two matchdays).

However, success on Saturday could prove a challenge as FCH have failed to win any of their last 10 Bundesliga away games (D3 L7) - the longest such run in the division and an unwanted club record. Heidenheim have also conceded at least one goal in that time (24 in total) and are currently the Bundesliga's longest run without keeping a clean sheet away from home, another unwanted club record.

Recent Performance

Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:DWDWDL

Wolfsburg form (all competitions):WDLWDL

Heidenheim Bundesliga form:LLDLDW

Heidenheim form (all competitions):LLDLDW

Team News

Wolfsburg will be without Mathys Angely (hamstring), Bartosz Bialek (knee), Lovro Majer (ankle), Kevin Paredes (foot) and Lukas Nmecha (groin) through injury, while Sebastiaan Bornauw (foot) and Rogerio (knee) will be assessed before kick-off.

With Mohamed Amoura serving a one-match ban for accumulating yellow cards, Andreas Skov Olsen could be recalled to start on the right flank, with Tiago Tomas moving to the left, while top scorer Jonas Wind - who has 10 goals to his name this term - continues to lead the line.

Patrick Wimmer will be hoping to force his way back into the starting line-up at the expense of Bence Dardai, while Maximilian Arnold and Mattias Svanberg continue to link up in midfield, with the back four of Kilian Fischer, Denis Vavro, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Joakim Maehle remaining intact.

For Heidenheim, Mathias Honsak, Julian Niehues (both muscle) and Paul Wanner (illness) are all doubts, while Omar Traore will serve a one-match ban for accumulating yellow cards.

Traore's absence is likely to see Marnon Busch deputise at right-back, while Tim Siersleben - who came through the Wolfsburg ranks and made his only senior appearance for the club at the end of the 2020-21 season - will battle it out with Jonas Fohrenbach for a start in the back three.

Budu Zivzivadze will be looking to score in his third Bundesliga game in a row, and the Georgia international is likely to be paired with top scorer Marvin Pieringer, who has seven goals in all competitions this season.

Possible starting lineup

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:

Grabara; Fischer, Vavro, Koulierakis, Maehle; Svanberg, Arnold; Skov Olsen, Wimmer, Tomas; Wind

Heidenheim possible starting lineup:

Muller; Mainka, Gimber, Fohrenbach; Busch, Schoppner, Dorsch, Kratzig; Beck; Pieringer, Zivzivadze