1. FC Heidenheim – VfL Wolfsburg
1. FC Heidenheim welcomes VfL Wolfsburg to the Voith Arena for the Bundesliga opener, with both teams starting the new season on the back of impressive cup wins but also with significant personnel concerns. Frank Schmidt’s team impressed in their 5-0 win over Bahlingen with a brace from Léo Scienza, while Paul Simonis’ Wolves are struggling with the absences of Mohamed Amoura, Jesper Lindstrøm and Denis Vavro despite their 9-0 rout of fifth-division Hemelingen. The head-to-head record clearly favors Wolfsburg with three wins from five meetings, but Heidenheim’s surprise 1-0 win in Wolfsburg in March 2025 shows that the hosts are certainly capable of springing a surprise. Marvin Pieringer’s absence weakens Heidenheim’s offense, while the departure of Tiago Tomás to Stuttgart further thins out Wolfsburg’s already decimated attacking line.
Heidenheim – Wolfsburg Info
- Venue: Voith Arena, Heidenheim an der Brenz
- Date and time: 23.08.2025, 15:30
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 1)
Heidenheim form & record check
Heidenheim starts the new Bundesliga season with plenty of confidence after a convincing 5-0 win over Bahlingen in the DFB Cup. Léo Scienza shone with a brace, while Mathias Honsak, Maximilian Kaufmann and Sirlord Conteh also got on the scoresheet. The last five games paint a positive picture with three wins, one draw, and only one defeat. The consistent offensive performance is particularly noteworthy: Heidenheim scored in both the first and second halves of all five games. However, the personnel situation is causing Frank Schmidt headaches. Marvin Pieringer, the most valuable attacker, is out with an ankle injury, and Adrian Beck is also unavailable. The loss of Paul Wanner, who is moving to PSV Eindhoven after a strong loan spell, contributing six goals and four assists in 41 competitive games, is an additional blow. The statistics show remarkable accuracy in front of goal, with at least two goals in all of their last games, although this attacking style of play also carries risks against stronger opponents.
Frank Schmidt is likely to go into the game with his tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 formation, although he will be without several key players. The absence of Marvin Pieringer is particularly significant, as the €5.5 million striker is struggling with an ankle injury and will therefore be missing from the front line. Adrian Beck is also unlikely to be available. The bruising suffered by the €2 million offensive player could force Schmidt to make tactical adjustments. Zivzivadze will therefore probably take over the striker role in the starting eleven, while Conteh, Schöppner, and Honsak are likely to occupy the offensive positions behind him.
Wolfsburg Form & Record Check
VfL Wolfsburg is starting the new season under Paul Simonis and has already made a statement in the DFB Cup with a 9-0 rout of SV Hemelingen, even though the Oberliga side was obviously much weaker. However, the Wolves are facing considerable personnel problems. Denis Vavro suffered a serious injury in the cup game that will require surgery. Longer-term absences of key offensive players such as Mohamed Amoura, Jesper Lindstrøm, and Andreas Skov Olsen, who are all struggling with various injuries, are exacerbating the situation. The latest Bundesliga record paints a mixed picture with only five points from the last five league games, with the final defeats against Dortmund (0-4) and Freiburg (0-1) particularly painful. The club also lost an important regular player in Tiago Tomás to VfB Stuttgart for €11 million, further weakening an already thin attacking squad. Simonis must now prove that he can mould the available players into a powerful unit.
At VfL Wolfsburg, Paul Simonis is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 formation, even though the squad has been depleted by numerous absences. The new coach has to do without several key players: both Mohamed Amoura and Jesper Lindstrøm are out with injuries, which will have a significant impact on the team’s attacking play. Pejcinovic could get a chance in attack after Jonas Wind was also ruled out with muscle problems. The wing positions are likely to go to Wimmer and Cerny, while Majer could play in the number ten role. The Croatian made a strong impression in the cup game and finally seems to be fit again. Defensively, Denis Vavros’ absence after his adductor injury will be noticeable. The duo of Koulierakis and Jenz could form the central defense, with Jenz likely to be confident after his mental comeback. However, this lineup remains speculative until the official announcement.
H2H Heidenheim – Wolfsburg Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The head-to-head record between Heidenheim and Wolfsburg speaks for itself. In the last five meetings, the Wolves have won three times, while Heidenheim have only emerged victorious once. The one draw dates back to January 2024, when the two teams played out a 1-1 draw. The most recent encounter in March 2025 brought Heidenheim a surprise 1-0 win in Wolfsburg, their only victory in this series and breaking a phase of Wolfsburg dominance. Previously, the Lower Saxony side had clearly had the upper hand in both November 2024 (3-1 in Heidenheim) and August 2023 (2-0 at home). A striking feature of these encounters is the pattern in the second halves. Both teams often seem to neutralize each other after the break, with no more than one goal scored in the second half in four of the last five meetings. Wolfsburg showed remarkable consistency, scoring at least once in four consecutive games against Heidenheim. Heidenheim conceded goals regularly during the same period, underlining their defensive vulnerability against this opponent.
The betting tips for this match are based on a clear analysis of the current form of both teams. The first tip, over 2.5 goals, looks particularly attractive, as Heidenheim has exceeded this mark in all of its last five games and has scored consistently. Wolfsburg is missing key players in defense and offense in Mohamed Amoura, Jonas Wind, and Denis Vavro, which significantly increases the likelihood of a high-scoring game. The double chance 1X is supported by Heidenheim’s strong home record and only one defeat in their last five games, while Wolfsburg are significantly weakened without their top strikers. Despite these absences, the betting market sees Wolfsburg as slight favorites at odds of 2.25, which certainly offers room for value. The third tip, Over 1.5 goals in the second half, benefits from Heidenheim’s tendency to score late goals, which has led to this outcome in 80% of their last games. Paul Wanner’s departure to PSV Eindhoven weakens Heidenheim, but the fundamental offensive approach under Frank Schmidt remains intact.
