Borussia Dortmund are all set to host a winless FC Heidenheim at the Signal Iduna Park on Matchday 3 of Bundesliga.
Borussia Dortmund have not had the best of starts to the new Bundesliga season, but they can surely improve things with a win over newly-promoted FC Heidenheim, who have lost both their matches so far. While Dortmund will push for a win, the visitors will have a chance to script an upset.
The team in yellow and black missed out on the league title because of the smallest of margins. They had their hands on the title but an unfortunate final day resulted in Bayern Munich adding another league title to their name. Dortmund will be keen on breaking the streak and winning the league this time.
They might not have done wonders in the opening two matches of the season, but they do have some exceptional players who can help them clinch the silverware. Dortmund registered a 1-0 win on the opening matchday and followed it up with a rather disappointing 1-1 draw against VfL Bochum.
Heading into this home fixture, they will be eager to return to winning ways. Meanwhile, Heidenheim, who managed to earn promotion to the Bundesliga after an exceptional campaign in the second division, will be looking to earn their first win in the German top flight.
Heidenheim were exceptional last season but they have so far struggled to cope with the demands of the German top flight. The newly-promoted team have lost both their opening fixtures against Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim.
Not much will be expected from them when they square up against Dortmund. But, Frank Schmitt will surely look to script history and pull off an upset over one of the title challengers. It is going to be an interesting match between two teams who have completely different ambitions for this season. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the squads and tries to predict the tactics they could use.
Team News and Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
Edin Terzic will be without the services of Julian Ryerson, Thomas Meunier, Julien Duranville and Giovanni Reyna. Meanwhile, there are doubts over the availability of Felix Nmecha and Mats Hummels. The duo are unlikely to be risked for this fixture.
Gio in the rain ☔️ pic.twitter.com/uY1qk43UYA
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) August 30, 2023
Meanwhile, Karim Adeyemi and Niklas Sule are expected to return to the thick of things. Terzic will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Gregor Kobel will be in goal. In front of him, there will be a centre-back pairing of Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck.
In support of the centre-backs, Marius Wolf and Ramy Bensebaini will be starting out wide on the flanks as the full-backs. As for the midfield unit, Emre Can and Marcel Sabitzer will form the double pivot. The duo will look to dictate the pace of the game and ensure they have the majority of the ball possession.
Donyell Malen and Liverpool-linked Karim Adeyemi will star on either flank as the wingers. They will provide width to the attacks and also look to cut inside and link up with the likes of Julian Brandt and Sebastien Haller. Brandt will be featuring as an attacking midfielder while Haller will once again lead the line for Dortmund.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Wolf, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Sabitzer, Can; Malen, Brandt, Adeyemi; Haller
1. FC Heidenheim
Frank Schmitt does not have much to worry about. Marnon Busch and Elidon Qenaj are the only players who are out injured. Apart from the duo, he has the entire squad at his disposal.
The 49-year-old might not make major changes to the XI that took the field against Hoffenheim. But, there could be a change in formation from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1. The change will ensure they do not allow Dortmund to dictate the pace of the game.
Wir sind bereit für die ersten Punkte der Saison! 😤🔜 #BVBFCH
🔴🔵 #NurDerFCH pic.twitter.com/I7KN5h6gcO
— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) August 30, 2023
Kevin Muller will continue in goal. Omar Haktab Traore and Jonas Fohrenbach will start outside as the full-backs. The duo will have a lot of defensive duties against Dortmund as they will have to take care of their pacey wingers.
In the heart of the defence, Patrick Mainka will pair up with Tim Siersleben. The duo will look to put up a better show than they did last time out in the league. Eren Dinkci will start out wide on the right, while Jan-Niklas Beste is expected to continue on the left. The duo will provide the width of their attacks.
Lennard Maloney and Denis Thomalla will retain their spot in the midfield, and they will have the support of Kevin Sessa who is expected to come in for striker Marvin Pieringer. Meanwhile, Tim Kleindienst is expected to be the lone forward for this fixture. While he will have the support from outside, the 28-year-old will have to fight a lonely battle up top.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Muller; Traore, Mainka, Siersleben, Fohrenbach; Dinkci, Maloney, Sessa, Thomalla, Beste; Kleindienst
Key Stats
- This Bundesliga outing will be the first official match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Heidenheim.
- Dortmund and Heidenheim have only squared up against each other once in the past. It was a friendly outing that saw BVB win 4-3.
- The home team are on an 18-match unbeaten run. They have won 13 and drawn five during that period. Their last defeat came at the hands of RB Leipzig in the DFB Pokal quarter-finals.
- The visitors have been winless in four of their last five matches in all competitions.
- Edin Terzic’s team have won 11 out of their 12 home games since the turn of the calendar.
Player to Watch
Julian Brandt
Brandt was in fine form last season as he contributed towards 19 goals in 42 matches. The 27-year-old has got off to a great start in the 2023/24 season with three goal contributions in as many matches.
The German international will be a key player for Dortmund heading into the fixture against FC Heidenheim as they look to bounce back to winning ways. Brandt is a creative player who will be a nightmare for the opposition defence and he could end up being the difference between the two teams.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 FC Heidenheim
Dortmund might have failed to get the desired result last time out. But, they have a squad full of world-class talent and they will be eager to return to winning ways when they square up against a newly promoted team.
Meanwhile, Heidenheim have struggled in the Bundesliga. They have lost both their opening matches and are all set to go up against one of the title contenders in Dortmund. Things are unlikely to change and they might end up making it three defeats in a row. Given the difference in quality between the two teams, The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.
