Hamburg — Heidenheim : Match Preview and Prediction for September 20,2025

Hamburg’s Troubled Return

Hamburg’s return to the has been nothing short of abysmal, securing just one point from their opening three matches. Merlin Polzin’s squad has yet to find the back of the net since their promotion to Germany’s top flight, and their performance trajectory seems to be on a worrying downward slope.

Recent Form and Challenging Fixtures

Their campaign began with a respectable away draw against Gladbach (0-0). However, subsequent results have been disheartening: a 0-2 loss at home in the crucial Hamburg derby against ‘the Pirates’ (St. Pauli) was followed by a crushing 0-5 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich after the international break.

Squad Weaknesses and Injury Concerns

Overall, the ‘Blue-Blacks’ have left a poor impression this season; their attack appears toothless, and their overall pace is severely lacking. The upcoming home fixture against Heidenheim presents another opportunity to secure points, yet confidence in this Hamburg side is understandably low. Compounding their challenges, Guilherme Ramos, Poulsen, Hefti, and Torunarigha will be unavailable for the hosts against the ‘Red-Blues’ – the contribution of each player would have been invaluable for Hamburg.

Heidenheim’s Struggling Campaign

Heidenheim is currently in their third season, but apart from their inaugural campaign, Frank Schmidt’s side has consistently underperformed. Last season, they narrowly avoided relegation through a play-off against Elversberg (2-1, 2-2). This season, much like their opponents Hamburg, Heidenheim has failed to register a single point after three matchdays.

Recent Results and Player Absences

Schmidt’s men initially suffered a 1-3 home defeat to Wolfsburg, followed by a 0-2 away loss against Leipzig. Last weekend, the ‘Red-Blues’ were also defeated 0-2 at home by Dortmund, though they played almost the entire match with ten men after Zivzivadze’s sending off, making the result somewhat inevitable. In addition to Zivzivadze’s suspension, Heidenheim will be without striker Pieringer, experienced defender Paccarada, and reserve goalkeeper Feller due to injuries.