Polanski aims to continue revival against struggling hosts

Borussia Mönchengladbach head to the Voith-Arena on Saturday looking to pull further away from the relegation fight, while bottom-placed Heidenheim know that victory would drag their visitors right back into danger.

Heidenheim

Frank Schmidt’s side sit 18th with five points, but a win would move them within one of Gladbach, who arrive in Baden-Württemberg buoyed by back-to-back Bundesliga victories.

Heidenheim return home after being dismantled 6-0 by Bayer Leverkusen – a match they trailed 4-0 inside 27 minutes. Schmidt’s side now have just two points from their last five league games and have lost four of their previous six in all competitions.

The underlying numbers are equally concerning. Heidenheim have generated the fewest shots in the division (107) and faced the most (164), while conceding 12 goals in their last four Bundesliga fixtures. Encouragingly, four of their eight league goals this season have come in that same stretch.

All five of their points have been collected at home, but they have failed to win 10 of their last 11 matches at Voith-Arena, losing six.

Team news

Sirlord Conteh and Mikkel Kaufmann remain injury concerns in attack, with the latter only carrying a slim chance of returning from his groin issue. If he misses out, Budu Zivzivadze and Marvin Pieringer are expected to continue as the front pairing.

Niklas Dorsch should anchor midfield again, having started nine of Heidenheim’s 11 Bundesliga fixtures.

Predicted lineup – 4-4-2: Ramaj – Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Fohrenbach – Ibrahimovic, Dorsch, Schoppner, Honsak – Pieringer, Zivzivadze

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Gladbach enter matchweek 11 as one of only two Bundesliga sides riding a run of two straight league wins, following victories over St. Pauli (4-0) and in the derby against Köln (3-1). That uplift in form has already secured Eugen Polanski the job permanently until 2028 in what is his first senior managerial role.

Their recent record against Heidenheim is excellent: five wins from six meetings, including both Bundesliga clashes last season. After scoring just nine goals across their first nine league matches, the Foals have exploded for 10 in their last three.

Polanski’s men produced their best away performance of the season in the 4-0 win at St. Pauli on November 1, a stark contrast to their winless three-match run on the road beforehand.

Team news

Tim Kleindienst remains a major doubt despite being back in training, having not featured since May. Fortunately for Gladbach, Haris Tabakovic is in outstanding form with four goals and three assists in his last three matches.

Predicted lineup – 3-4-2-1: Nicolas – Elvedi, Friedrich, Diks – Scally, Reitz, Engelhardt, Ullrich – Honorat, Neuhaus – Tabakovic