Key Facts
- Freiburg (8th in the table) enters this match against Heidenheim (bottom of the table).
- Freiburg’s attacking duo Igor Matanovic and Yuito Suzuki (who scored twice against Vigo) are in strong form and are considered a decisive factor for goals against Heidenheim.
- Heidenheim is missing four key players—Gimber, Paçarada, Conteh, and Kaufmann—which limits Frank Schmidt’s tactical options.
- The head-to-head record: Freiburg has scored in all five recent matches, but has also conceded goals in every one—a sign of high-scoring encounters on both sides.
- Heidenheim won the last meeting in December 2025 by a score of 2-1; despite Freiburg’s position in the table, this remains a concrete warning sign.
- Four of Freiburg’s last five matches have ended with over 2.5 goals; the same applies to Heidenheim — statistical support for the “Over 2.5 goals” bet.
Freiburg returns to Bundesliga action on Sunday at the Europa-Park Stadium, still riding high on the excitement of their first Europa League semifinal following their commanding away win against Celta Vigo. This European high is now met with a very different mood: Frank Schmidt brings a Heidenheim side that is not only fighting against relegation but has also just endured an emotionally draining week surrounding Eren Dinkçi and the fundraising appeal by both clubs.
- Venue: Europa-Park Stadium, Freiburg
- Date and time: April 19, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 30)
The situation is clear, even if the omens could hardly be more different. Julian Schuster’s team sits in eighth place, two points behind Eintracht Frankfurt, and has won four of its last five competitive matches. Heidenheim, on the other hand, is at the bottom of the table and simply cannot afford any more slip-ups, even though it has recently picked up five points from three league games.
Freiburg Form & Record Check
The betting market sees Freiburg as the clear home favorite, and from a sporting perspective, there’s good reason for that. “Freiburg to win” is the obvious base bet, especially since Igor Matanovic and Yuito Suzuki are in form and Heidenheim will be without Benedikt Gimber and Mikkel Kaufmann. Over 2.5 goals also fits recent patterns, while the bolder bet is on “Both Teams to Score: No,” provided Noah Atubolu and Freiburg take control early.
This matchup was more evenly matched than the standings suggest.
In their last five league meetings, each side has won twice, with one game ending in a draw. Heidenheim won the most recent encounter in December 2025 by a score of 2-1. Prior to that, Freiburg had come out on top twice in a row, with a 1-0 win in 2025 and a 3-0 win in 2024.
The most striking pattern: Freiburg scored in all five matches, while Heidenheim conceded at least one goal in all five. Interestingly, four of the first five halves saw fewer than two goals, suggesting a rather subdued start. Nevertheless, three consecutive matches surpassed the 1.5-goal mark by the final whistle, which aligns well with the recent increase in goal-scoring in this rivalry.
Heidenheim Form & Record Check
The 3-1 win in Vigo revealed a lot about SC Freiburg’s current form. The Breisgau side not only defended the lead from the first leg but once again actively made their mark, with Igor Matanovic scoring and Yuito Suzuki netting twice. They looked like a team playing with a clear head rather than on adrenaline, and that’s no small matter when the next league match is just a few days away and rotation becomes a key consideration for the coach.
Across all competitions, Freiburg has won four of its last five games and scored in all five, with a noticeable tendency to decide matches after halftime. In the Bundesliga, the away win in Mainz was a solid response to the narrow loss to Bayern. The only real concern remains workload management, though the backbone of Noah Atubolu, Matthias Ginter, Philipp Lienhart, and Maximilian Eggestein has looked solid so far.
Freiburg is likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 as usual, though this is still a prediction and not a confirmed lineup. The expected back four of Philipp Treu (29), Matthias Ginter (28), Philipp Lienhart (3), and Jordy Makengo (33) seems most likely, with Noah Atubolu in goal and Maximilian Eggestein (8) as a stabiliser in midfield.
Further forward, Johan Manzambi (44) could play alongside Maximilian Eggestein (8) after Patrick Osterhage is out after his knee operation. In of the offense it is to be expected that Niklas Beste (19), Yuito Suzuki (14) and Vincenzo Grifo (32) around Igor Matanovic (31). Auch Max Rosenfelder is not available, as far as the alternatives in the Defensive somewhat restricted.
Freiburg – Heidenheim Comparison & Stats
Heidenheim travels after a week in which football has played by far the next greater worries has receded into the background. Frank Schmidt conceded, that the mood around the club was depressed. On the pitch, on the other hand, the 3-1 victory over Union Berlin was one of the better recent performances. Mathias Honsak made consistent use of his chances, Budu Zivzivadze put the ball in front of him third goal, and the team proved once again that they can do the best in the direct game can stay alive.
Nevertheless, the overall picture in the league calls for caution. Heidenheim has five points from the last three Bundesliga games, conceded but at least one goal in each of the last five games and remains vulnerable as soon as the opponent makes them move sideways. The Draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach and against Bayer Leverkusen showed morale, but the failures of Benedikt Gimber, Leart Paçarada, Sirlord Conteh and Mikkel Kaufmann limit Schmidt’s possibilities for adaptation.
