Preview: Augsburg vs Heidenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

Augsburg can take a huge step towards Bundesliga survival when they welcome bottom-of-the-table Heidenheim to the WWK Arena this Sunday afternoon.

Manuel Baum’s side saw their four-match unbeaten run come to an end last weekend, while Heidenheim’s demise continued with yet another painful defeat.

Match preview

The Bundesliga might not have an enthralling title battle, but the competition is certainly heating up when it comes to the fight for the top four and also the race to avoid relegation.

Augsburg are in the latter camp, though their position in the table has substantially improved following the arrival of Manuel Baum in December.

When the 46-year-old replaced Sandro Wagner in the dugout, he inherited a side that sat just one spot above the relegation zone and had lost eight of their 12 league matches.

Baum, who has been appointed on an interim basis, was able to spark a turnaround which saw the club climb to 13th and even earn a memorable 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich away at the Allianz Arena.

Augsburg were in the midst of a four-match unbeaten run, though their bubble was ultimately burst by Mainz last weekend, in a match which was overshadowed by a controversial refereeing decision.

Nevertheless, the Fuggerstadter will now be looking for a return to winning ways as they look to take a huge step towards preserving their Bundesliga status.

Speaking of preserving Bundesliga status, Heidenheim are on a completely different trajectory, with the club inching towards a seemingly unavoidable relegation.

Sitting on 13 points at the very bottom of the table, FCH find themselves six points adrift of safety - a gap which continues to grow given Heidenheim’s poor run of form.

The club endured their third successive Bundesliga defeat last weekend, losing 2-0 at home to Hamburger SV (a side that had the worst away record in the competition prior to kick off).

Heidenheim have picked up two measly points from their last eight matches, and they have not tasted victory since a 2-1 success over Freiburg back in early December.

Head coach Frank Schmidt, who oversaw the club’s epic rise from the fifth-tier to the Bundesliga, called on his players to 'roll up their sleeves and carry on', which underlines his positive attitude and commitment to the cause.

Augsburg Bundesliga form:

L D D W W L

Augsburg form (all competitions):

L D D W W L

Heidenheim Bundesliga form:

D L D L L L

Heidenheim form (all competitions):

D L D L L L

Team News

There is positive news for Augsburg when it comes to personnel, with the team missing just two names for Sunday’s big fixture.

Defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw has been out for the majority of the season with a knee injury, making just five appearances during this ongoing campaign.

Frenchman Chrislain Matsima, on the other hand, has missed the last seven games through a muscle problem and is expected to remain on the sidelines.

When it comes to Heidenheim, they are also dealing with a handful of injury worries ahead of the weekend.

Swiss defender Leonidas Stergiou, who joined the club on loan from Stuttgart during the winter window, is struggling with a muscle injury and remains on the sidelines.

Leart Paqarada has been out for most of the season with a knee injury, and he is not expected back before the end of the campaign.

On top of that, forward Mathias Honsak is struggling with his thigh, while midfielder Niklas Dorsch is battling with an illness. Both men are doubtful for Sunday’s encounter.

Augsburg possible starting lineup:

Dahmen; Banks, Chaves, Schlotterbeck; Fellhauer, Jakic, Massengo, Wolf; Rieder, Claude-Maurice; Gregoritsch

Heidenheim possible starting lineup:

Ramaj; Busch, Mainka, Gimber; Traore, Niehues, Schoppner, Behrens; Dinkci, Pieringer, Ibrahimovic