Preview: Union Berlin vs Heidenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

Union Berlin will hope to push towards the Bundesliga's European spots when they welcome visitors Heidenheim to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Saturday.

Sitting in eighth place with 15 points, Union are five points from the sixth-placed Conference League spot, while Heidenheim are last in 18th place with five points following their 3-0 loss against Borussia Monchengladbach on November 22.

Match preview

The hosts come into the weekend having won 1-0 against St Pauli on November 23, a game in which they limited their opponents to two shots and 0.07 xG in the first half, before they then sat behind the ball in second half after taking a 44th-minute lead.

Boss Steffen Baumgart will not be particularly concerned by the fact his side mustered just one attempt after the break in that victory, especially as they have kept two clean sheets in three games.

Union's points tally of 15 is one fewer than they totalled after 11 Bundesliga matches in 2024-25, though their return of 14 goals is five more than at the same stage last season.

Die Eisernen are unbeaten in their four most recent fixtures, but while two of those results were stalemates, one was an impressive 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on November 8.

Union have been held to three draws in their past five in all competitions at home, though they avoided defeat in that period, and they have only lost once in their seven outings at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei this term.

The visitors can have no complaints with their loss against Gladbach given they failed to produce a single big chance, and they have now found the back of the net once in their last four matches.

Heidenheim are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league this term, and they have also only led at the interval in one of their 11 league matches.

It should be noted that Frank Schmidt's side are undefeated in any of their past 10 clashes against the Berliners in league meetings, winning on seven occasions, including both encounters in 2024-25.

Failure to claim three points on Saturday would see Heidenheim extend their winless streak to eight games, and a loss would be their sixth in eight matches.

Schmidt has overseen five defeats in his team's five away Bundesliga outings this season, losing by a cumulative score of 14-2.

Union Berlin Bundesliga form:

Union Berlin form (all competitions):

Heidenheim Bundesliga form:

Heidenheim form (all competitions):

Team News

Union defender Danilho Doekhi has not missed any of his team's 61 Bundesliga games since February 2024, and he can be pencilled into the XI.

The squad is largely healthy, and they will be able to start regulars Rani Khedira and Aljoscha Kemlein in the middle of the pitch.

Scotsman Oliver Burke may be fielded in a supportive role next to striker Andrej Ilic.

As for the visitors, captain Patrick Mainka is a guaranteed inclusion as a centre-back given he has started all 79 league matches since the club's first season in the top flight in 2023-24.

Tim Siersleben and Haktab Omar Traore could join their captain in the backline, while Marvin Pieringer is set to lead the attack, especially as Sirlord Conteh and Mikkel Kaufmann continue to be sidelined by injuries.

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:

Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Trimmel, Khedira, Kemlein, Rothe; Burke, Ilic, Ansah

Heidenheim possible starting lineup:

Ramaj; Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Fohrenbach; Schoppner, Dorsch; Ibrahimovic, Beck, Honsak; Pieringer

We say: Union Berlin 2-0 Heidenheim

Though Union lost both matches against Heidenheim last term, they may never have a better opportunity than Saturday to end their winless streak against the visitors.

Heidenheim's results this season have been consistently poor, and there is little reason to think they will get back on track this weekend.

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