Heidenheim vs Wolfsburg Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Dutchman Paul Simonis takes the Wolfsburg head coach hotseat for 2025-26 as they start away at Heidenheim.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – Not streamed / US – ESPN+
Heidenheim preview: Third season in the big time
One of the true feel-good stories across the Bundesliga over the past couple of years, Heidenheim embark on what will be their third season in the German top flight. They almost went down in the previous campaign and were forced to contest the relegation play-off. But Frank Schmidt’s men survived the two-legged tie against 2. Bundesliga side SV Elversberg.
Any season in which Heidenheim stay in the division will surely be considered a hugely successful campaign from their point of view. To trouble the top end of the table would be a vast overachievement, but don’t underestimate the wily veteran that is Schmidt and his group of players.
Wolfsburg preview: Coaching change
Following an outstanding term at Go Ahead Eagles, in which he guided the Eredivisie side to their first major trophy in over 80 years, not to mention a seventh-place finish in the league, Paul Simonis was rewarded by being offered the job at Wolfsburg, an opportunity taken by the former Sparta Rotterdam youth coach.
Wolfsburg are banking on Simonis being as successful in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg as he was with Go Ahead Eagles. But a different division and a different country represents a completely different challenge. A big club with high expectations, Wolfsburg fans will be hoping for a good start here.
Heidenheim team news: Three out injured
Heidenheim are set to be without three players for the visit of Wolfsburg. Goalkeeper Frank Feller, along with defender Thomas Keller and attacker Marvin Pieringer are all missing through injury.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Ramajl; Mainka, Gimber, Siersleben; Conteh, Dorsch, Schoppner, Ibrahimovic; Honsak, Zivzivadze, Scienza
Unavailable: Feller (Injured), Keller (Injured), Pieringer (Injured)
Questionable:
Wolfsburg team news: Fitness tests likely
Wolfsburg are expected to hand late fitness tests to the likes of Amoura, Rogerio and Wind to determine whether they can play a part in this match. Definitely out of contention are Jesper Lindstrom, Kevin Paredes and Denis Vavro.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Grabara; Fischer, Jenz, Koulierakis, Maehle; Arnold, Vinicius; Skov Olsen, Majer, Wimmer; Pejcinovic
Unavailable: Lindstrom (Injured), Paredes (Injured), Vavro (Injured)
Questionable: Amoura (Injured), Rogerio (Injured), Wind (Injured)
Heidenheim vs Wolfsburg prediction
A battle between an experienced veteran coach who has been at one club for a long time and a young coach with limited experience in a new job. This makes for an intriguing contest between Schmidt’s Heidenheim and Simonis’ Wolfsburg. Both teams will fancy their chances of a positive result here and it would be no surprise if we saw an entertaining game with plenty of opportunities at either end of the pitch.
The outcome itself could go either way, but whilst Wolfsburg perhaps boasts the better individual players on paper, Heidenheim should be the stronger all-round unit whilst Wolfsburg players take time adapting to the style of play desired by Simonis. Either way, goals should be on the menu and backing over 2.5 of them warrants serious consideration.
Heidenheim vs Wolfsburg tip: Over 2.5 goals
