Preview: Heidenheim vs St Pauli - prediction, team news, lineups

Bottom-of-the-table Heidenheim will welcome Bundesliga relegation rivals St Pauli to Voith-Arena on Saturday, knowing that defeat will confirm demotion to the second tier.

FCH will be desperate to bounce back from defeat last time out, while Kiezkicker will be hoping for their first win in seven games.

Match preview

Frank Schmidt's Heidenheim have struggled throughout 2025-26, but they are at risk of becoming the first club to be relegated from the German top flight this weekend.

With just four matches to play, FCH are currently stranded at the foot of the table, 12 points from automatic safety and seven points behind St Pauli, who occupy the division's relegation playoff spot.

Schmidt's side had been building some momentum going into the final stretch, putting together a commendable three-game unbeaten run that culminated in a 3-1 victory over Union Berlin on April 11, but a 2-1 defeat against Freiburg last Sunday came as a major blow.

In fairness to Heidenheim, they were the better team against the Europa League semi-finalists and Die Breisgau-Brasilianer boss Julian Schuster admitted that it was 'remarkable' his team were able to escape with points, thanks to two deflected goals either side of Budu Zivzivadze's equaliser.

Regardless, that loss means that FCH will need to make up the seven-point gap to 16th place with only 12 points left on offer, and that another beating on Saturday will condemn the club to a season in the 2.Bundesliga.

However, a triumph against Kiezkicker could serve as a springboard by reducing the deficit to a mere four points, completely changing the complexion of the campaign, and given Heidenheim's experience of winning the relegation playoff in 2024-25, they would be confident of success once again if they are able to pull off the great escape necessary to qualify.

Meanwhile, Alexander Blessin's St Pauli announced their plans for a stadium expansion earlier this term, but their aims could be impacted if the Hamburg-based side are relegated back to the second tier.

Last Friday, Kiezkicker were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Koln, and though the result was a marked improvement over the 5-0 thrashing against Bayern Munich six days prior, it extended their winless streak to six games - a run that goes back to a 1-0 victory at high-flying Hoffenheim on February 28.

That stalemate has left Blessin's men 16th in the Bundesliga, where their tally of 26 points puts the club five short of 15th-placed Werder Bremen, 14th-placed Hamburger SV, 13th-placed Borussia Monchengladbach and 12th-placed Koln, all of whom are far from safe.

Saturday's visitors will be keen to apply pressure on their demotion rivals by beating the relegation favourites, but it remains to be seen whether they can defy their travelling record, which features only two league wins on the road in 2025-26.

That being said, St Pauli have won seven of their 10 meetings with Heidenheim in the 2020s - including a 2-1 triumph in mid-December - a stretch that has seen Kiezkicker lose just once against FCH.

Heidenheim Bundesliga form:

St Pauli Bundesliga form:

Team News

Heidenheim will be lighter than ideal up front without striker Mikkel Kaufmann, who is dealing with a calf injury, as well as right winger Eren Dinkci is a doubt after sitting out against Freiburg, and attacking midfielder Sirlord Conteh, who is sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Filling the gaps, Schmidt could opt for a pairing of Marvin Pieringer and Budu Zivzivadze up top, with Arijon Ibrahimovic and Mathias Honsak providing support from out wide.

At the opposite end of the pitch, centre-back Benedikt Gimber has missed the last two weeks with an unconfirmed injury, while left-back Leart Paqarada is recovering from a major knee injury, so expect to see Patrick Mainka and Jonas Fohrenbach at the heart of the FCH defence, flanked by Marnon-Thomas Busch and Hennes Behrens.

As for St Pauli, they are missing goalkeeper Simon Spari due to an ankle injury, and centre-half Eric Smith is a doubt with a calf issue, though Nikola Vasilj should be on hand to start between the posts, protected by a back three of Tomoya Ando, Hauke Wahl and Karol Mets.

In midfield, James Sands is set to miss the final four games of the season with an ankle problem, while the attack-minded Mathias Pereira Lage is dealing with a knee injury, so Mathias Rasmussen and Jackson Irvine are likely to start behind Danel Sinani and Joel Chima Fujita on Saturday.

Elsewhere, former Peterborough United striker Ricky-Jade Jones is out until the summer with an ankle injury, and Andreas Hountondji will lead the line for Kiezkicker.

Heidenheim possible starting lineup:

Ramaj; Busch, Mainka, Fohrenbach, Behrens; Ibrahimovic, Schoppner, Dorsch, Honsak; Pieringer, Zivzivadze

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Vasilj; Ando, Wahl, Mets; Saliakas, Rasmussen, Irvine, Pyrka; Sinani, Fujita; Hountondji

We say: Heidenheim 2-1 St Pauli

Heidenheim will be desperate to avoid the drop this weekend, so expect to see a spirited performance from the bottom club regardless of the result.

St Pauli would generally be the favourites given their league position, but having failed to win even once since February, they could be caught out on Saturday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.