Heidenheim vs Dortmund preview: Tullberg seeks to depart with three points
Heidenheim
Since the League phase of the European Conference League concluded last month, Heidenheim had no commitment this midweek. After a solid start to the new year, the minnows narrowly lost to direct competitors St. Pauli and FC Augsburg.
The challenge Frank Schmidt’s side face is similar with what Hertha Berlin went through in the 2009/10 season. Back then, the Old Lady progressed to the knockout stage of the Europa League, but they finished the league season in bottom place.
Similarly, Heidenheim will play their European playoff tie against FC Copenhagen next month. As things stand, they might also need a playoff at the end of the Bundesliga season: the promotion/relegation playoff.
The way they finished games has been a big concern for Heidenheim this season. They’re the only side to concede a double digit of goals after the 75th-minute mark in Bundesliga, with 5 of them arriving in injury-time, including Keven Schlotterbeck’s winner for Augsburg last week.
Team News
Niklas Dorsch is still missing due to a knee injury. Heidenheim lost all four games the former Bayern midfielder missed since signing for the club. Mathias Honsak, who scored against Bayern and Leverkusen, is another player currently on the sidelines.
Schmidt, who is the longest-serving coach in professional football following Stefen Bexter’s departure from Crusaders FC last summer, will count on Bayern loanees Paul Wanner and Frans Krätzig to pose a threat on Dortmund’s shaky defense. Meanwhile, Budu Zivzivadze, who scored 14 goals for Karlsruhe in the Hinrunde, will hope to open his Bundesliga account.
Borussia Dortmund
On Thursday, Borussia Dortmund unveiled Niko Kovač as a permanent replacement for Nuri Şahin. The Croat will take the reigns a day after this fixture, however. Mike Tullberg will be in charge of his third game in first-team football before he returns to Dortmund U19.
The 39-year-old had the pleasure of leading Dortmund at Westfalenstadion in both the Bundesliga and European stage. Although they squandered a two-goal lead to Werder Bremen last weekend, the performance was admirable considering Nico Schlotterbeck’s red card in the 21st minute.
When Marlon Gomes pulled one back for Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, there was a similar concern in Dortmund. But, in the end, Tullberg’s men recorded a confident 3-1 win thanks to a third Champions League brace for Serhou Guirassy and Ramy Bensebaini’s delightful finish.
The result means Dortmund finally won a game in 2025. Before Kovač’s arrival, Tullberg will have the opportunity to end the four-game winless run in Bundesliga. Dortmund’s solitary away league win came in Wolfsburg in the last game of 2024.
Team News
Once again, Dortmund’s center-back depth will be tested without Schlotterbeck (suspension) and Süle (injury). Felix Nmecha’s knee injury is another concern for Die Borussen as they recalled Salih Özcan from his loan spell at Wolfsburg.
On their debut Bundesliga season, Heidenheim held Dortmund to draws in both fixtures. But Dortmund won the reverse fixture 4-2 at home with Karim Adeyemi scoring his only two league goals of the season.
