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

Desperate to avoid being cut adrift at the foot of the Bundesliga table, Heidenheim will welcome Champions League hopefuls Stuttgart to Voith-Arena on Sunday.

FCH are hoping to avoid a fifth straight defeat this weekend, while Die Roten are aiming for a third win on the bounce.

Match preview

Frank Schmidt's Heidenheim survived by the skin of their teeth in 2024-25, prevailing in the relegation playoff, but they are at risk of being left behind by their demotion rivals this time around.

Last Sunday, FCH were downed 1-0 by Augsburg, extending the club's winless run to nine matches, a stretch that includes just two draws, as well as four consecutive defeats prior to this clash.

To make matters worse, Schmidt's men have scored in just one outing during their ongoing four-game losing streak - their 3-2 beating at the hands of Borussia Dortmund on February 1.

Heidenheim's latest disappointing result has left the relegation favourites stranded at the bottom of the table, where their tally of 13 points has them six behind 16th-placed Werder Bremen and seven short of guaranteed safety.

The hosts will be the underdogs this weekend, though some home supporters could take heart from the fact that the club have earned nine points (69% of their total) at Voith-Arena this season, even if FCH have lost all but one of their matches on their own turf so far in 2026.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Hoeness's Stuttgart are enjoying a strong campaign and come into this clash in excellent form, hoping to solidify their spot in the Bundesliga's top four.

Most recently, Die Roten followed up a 3-1 top-flight victory over FC Koln by beating Scottish giants Celtic 4-1 on the road on Thursday, giving them a healthy lead ahead of the second leg of their Europa League playoff.

Returning to domestic action this weekend, Hoeness's side find themselves fourth in the table - on course for Champions League football - but their 42-point total puts them within reach of fifth-placed RB Leipzig.

With their European ambitions at stake, Sunday's visitors will draw confidence from the strength of their away record this term, which features five wins and just one defeat from their last six in German competitions, as well as three triumphs from their last four overall.

On the other hand, Stuttgart were downed 2-1 by second-from-bottom St Pauli on their most recent Bundesliga away day, a shock result that could leave some fans wary of coming up against another relegation contender this weekend.

Heidenheim Bundesliga form:

Stuttgart Bundesliga form:

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

Team News

Heidenheim have a relatively fit squad for this clash, though left-back Leart Paqarada remains sidelined after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September, while 19-year-old centre-back Adam Kolle has a muscle problem.

In their absence, Schmidt could opt for a defensive trio of Marnon Busch, Patrick Mainka and Benedikt Gimber this weekend, flanked by Hennes Behrens and the versatile Arijon Ibrahimovic at wing-back.

Elsewhere, midfielder Niklas Dorsch is a doubt as he deals with a bout of illness, though Julian Niehues and Jan Schoppner should be on hand to start in the centre of the park.

As for Stuttgart, they are missing wingers Justin Diehl and Lazar Jovanovic due to respective adductor and back injuries, so expect to see striker Ermedin Demirovic supported by a three-man setup of Jamie Leweling, Deniz Undav and Chris Fuhrich.

At the opposite end of the pitch, centre-back Dan-Axel Zagadou is out with a thigh issue, but Hoeness is likely to have Finn Jeltsch and Julian Chabot ready to operate at the heart of his defence on Sunday.

Heidenheim possible starting lineup:

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

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Vagnoman, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Undav, Fuhrich; Demirovic

We say: Heidenheim 0-2 Stuttgart

Heidenheim have struggled for points this term, but they have also found goals especially hard to come by in recent weeks, and it would not be surprising to see them fail to hit the back of the net once again this weekend.

On the other hand, Stuttgart have been strong on the road in 2025-26, though they will need to remain focused to avoid a repeat of their shocking loss against St Pauli from earlier this month.

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