Eintracht Frankfurt – 1. FC Heidenheim
With a remarkable 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League behind them, Eintracht Frankfurt are turning their focus to the clash with 1. FC Heidenheim – a game that promises to be full of excitement. Frankfurt are currently in third place in the table, but after two consecutive defeats (including a 0-2 loss to Werder Bremen), they have reason to fear for their comfortable position. RB Leipzig are lurking just behind them in terms of points, so slip-ups must be avoided. At the other end of the table, Heidenheim are in 16th place with 22 points, four points behind the 15th place which would mean safety. The Swabians were recently defeated 1-0 by Bayer Leverkusen, with the decisive goal not coming until injury time. Eintracht coach Dino Toppmöller still has to do without captain Kevin Trapp, who is suffering from a shin injury. The young Kaua Santos will take over the goal again, while Ansgar Knauff can hope for an early comeback after his knee injury.
Eintracht Frankfurt – 1. FC Heidenheim Infos
- Match location: Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt am Main
- Date and Time: 04/13/2025, 5:30 PM
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 29)
Eintracht Frankfurt Form & Bilanz Check
Frankfurt’s form in the Bundesliga has fluctuated considerably of late. Although the team celebrated two victories against Stuttgart (1-0) and in Bochum (3-1), they also conceded a sobering 2-0 defeat at Werder Bremen. There, the team appeared ponderous in offense and vulnerable in defense – not a good sign for a team with Champions League ambitions. Captain Trapp can’t direct the defense, and substitute keeper Kaua Santos is just starting out in the Bundesliga. The only ray of hope remains striker Omar Marmoush, who is constantly posing a goal threat and also providing assists. Coach Toppmöller is toying with the idea of making tactical adjustments to address the recent visible deficits in offense.
Eintracht Frankfurt is expected to line up against Heidenheim in a 4-2-3-1 system. Because captain Kevin Trapp is still out, Kaua Santos will once again be between the posts, although Toppmöller could not give an exact date for Trapp’s return. In defense, a quartet with Theate, Koch, Tuta and Kristensen is conceivable. In front of them, Skhiri and Larsson could form the defensive midfield center, while Bahoya, Götze and Brown could operate behind striker Ekitike. With Junior Dina Ebimbe (gastrointestinal problems), Lisztes (muscular complaints) and Knauff (knee injury), other important players are missing. Especially the possible comeback date of Knauff, who could liven up the offensive play, remains uncertain.
1. FC Heidenheim Form & Record Check
1. FC Heidenheim are in the relegation places and need to collect every point in the fight against relegation. The most recent 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen only came in injury time, which underlines the team’s potential. The Swabians have picked up seven points from their last five matches, including a 1-0 win at Wolfsburg and a 3-1 victory over Holstein Kiel. Nevertheless, they often lack offensive punch: Heidenheim have not scored in three of their last five matches, and under 1.5 goals have been scored in the first half in 80% of their most recent outings. At the same time, the team has conceded at least one goal in four of the last five games, including the heavy 3-0 defeat to Gladbach. However, with 22 points and four points behind 15th place, they are far from having thrown away all their chances.
At 1. FC Heidenheim, coach Frank Schmidt is likely to deploy a defensively-oriented 5-4-1. The back four, with captain Mainka in the center, should provide stability, especially with key players Mathias Honsak (muscle injury) and Budu Zivzivadze (ligament injury) unavailable. Zivzivadze, who is valued at €2.5 million, is out along with Honsak. This could see Marvin Pieringer leading the attack as a sole striker. Behind him, Schöppner, Scienza, Dorsch and Beck are likely to form the midfield, which will need to be alert against Frankfurt’s often variable offense.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs 1. FC Heidenheim Statics
In direct comparison, Frankfurt have won all four competitive games against Heidenheim so far, impressively demonstrating their class. In the last duel in December 2024, Eintracht won 4-0 after beating Heidenheim 2-1 in March of the same year. The 2-0 in October 2023 and a 2-1 after extra time in the 2017 DFB Cup also illustrate Frankfurt’s dominance. It is striking that Heidenheim did not score in three of these encounters, while Frankfurt was particularly strong in the second halves. This history speaks in favor of the hosts, but a game full of surprises can never be ruled out in the Bundesliga.
