Heidenheim seek to return to winning ways at Voith-Arena when they host Eintracht Frankfurt in a Bundesliga gameweek 24 clash on Saturday.
The newly promoted side have hitherto enjoyed a commendable debut season in the league, and they should smell blood against a Frankfurt side that have won just one away match in their last seven in the top division.
Match preview
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Heidenheim had gone six games unbeaten in front of their fans until Xabi Alonso's men ended that run on February 17.
There is no shame in losing to the side expected to claim their first Bundesliga title of the season, but Frank Schmidt's men seek a response on their turf, having gone three games without maximum points at their stomping ground.
The recent lull in home results is possibly an upshot of a reduced conversion rate, underscored by scoring twice in their last three home games when they netted six in the previous three matches at Voith-Arena.
The Rhine club's response to that 2-1 defeat was a 2-2 draw at Union Berlin, where they secured a point with a 71st-minute Jan-Niklas Beste equaliser.
Having recently struggled in front of goal at home, Schmidt's men hope scoring twice last weekend is the turnaround they need to start finding the back of the net again on their turf.
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As for Frankfurt, the visitors sit higher in the table and their impressive record against newly-promoted sides stands them in good stead to make it 11 matches without losing to one.
However, one win in their last seven road Bundesliga games raises eyebrows, especially before a trip to a side that has thrived in their backyard in 2023-24.
That victory was a 1-0 triumph at Champions League-chasing RB Leipzig in January, with that win followed by one more Bundesliga triumph in their last six games — beating relegation-threatened Mainz 1-0.
Recent results do not bode well for Dino Toppmoller's men, whose run without maximum points extended to four after last weekend's 2-2 draw with Wolfsburg.
While the Eagles' only defeat in the four-game winless run came at Koln in early February, the absence of clean sheets are a bigger worry, with the sixth-placed side conceding eight goals in their last four matches.
Keeping Heidenheim out for as long as they possibly can should be the target, as that strengthens Frankfurt's prospects against the side in 10th.
Team News
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Beste is doubtful because of a hamstring issue, while Elidon Qenaj, Lennard Maloney and Thomas Keller are sidelined because of respective knee injuries.
Tim Kleindienst (10 goal contributions) and Eren Dinkci (eight) have to step up with Beste's 15 goal involvements not available on Saturday.
Sasa Kalajdzic and Mehdi Loune are the away side's long-term absentees with ACL layoffs, while Hugo Larsson is doubtful.
Ellyes Skhiri's back injury is likely to return in March and Sebastian Rode's knee issue should keep him out until April.
Heidenheim possible starting lineup:
Muller; Traore, Mainka, Gimber, Fohrenbach; Schoppner, Thuerkauf; Dinkci, Dovedan, Beck; Kleindienst
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Buta, Koch, Pacho, Nkounkou; Ebimbe, Tuta, Van de Beek, Knauff; Marmoush, Ekitike
We say: Heidenheim 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
The home side should return to winning ways on their turf to extend Frankfurt's run without winning on the road to four games.
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