Survival is on the line for Heidenheim, who travel to Stuttgart hoping to take advantage of the hosts' terrible form. This round will decide the future of both sides.
Nothing remains from the phenomenal Stuttgart we remember from last season. The team is breaking negative records after negative records, with two wins in the last ten fixtures across all tournaments and a club record of five consecutive home defeats.
Still, the Swabians have a chance to end this forgettable season with a trophy, as they have a DFB-Pokal final in a few weeks. Their most recent Bundesliga fixture also broke a Bundesliga record, as it featured eight goals in the first half. Stuttgart's performance in attack has improved, but their defence leaves much to be desired, hence their position far from the European spots.
As for Heidenheim, the team was on an upward trajectory until a few weeks ago, and for a time, it seemed like they may actually survive. But with three defeats in a row and only four rounds remaining, it is almost guaranteed they will be dropping down to the lower division despite playing in the Conference League a few months ago.
How the bookies view it: Stuttgart to end their losing streak
Bookmakers believe this is the match that will put Stuttgart back in the winning column, as they give them a considerable betting advantage at 1/2. The draw is priced at 4/1, while you can pick Heidenheim at 19/4.
Recent head to head: Closer than you think
All of the recent H2Hs were phenomenal, which suggests this upcoming match could turn out to be the highlight of this round. Heidenheim got promoted to the elite in 2023, and since then, the teams have exchanged a win each, while the previous match at the MHPArena ended level at 3-3. Historically, Stuttgart lead the overall record with three wins, while Heidenheim had two.
Players to watch: Stiller is living his best days
Angelo Stiller has been on a row lately, with goal contributions in three consecutive matches. He scored against RB Leipzig in the Cup semi-final, assisted for Stuttgart's only goal against Werder Bremen, and created two more goals against Union Berlin last week. He is a staple in the Swabians' midfield, having played more minutes than every other player but Alexander Nubel (GK).
Probable line-ups
Stuttgart: Nubel, Mittelstadt, Chabot, Jaquez, Stergiou, Stiller, Karazor, Fuhrich, Millot, Demirovic, Woltemade
Heidenheim: Muller, Mainka, Gimber, Busch, Traore, Schoppner, Dorsch, Kratzig, Beck, Pieringer, Zivzivadze
Anything else catch the eye?
It is impossible not to expect goals in this matchup after Stuttgart's recent performances. The Swabians produced several extraordinary results, including the 4-4 from the previous round. They score plenty of goals but concede even more, so even a team from the bottom like Heidenheim should be able to score. Especially with what's at stake here. If Heidenheim lose and Hoffenheim and St Pauli win at least a point this round, it will be game over for them in the Bundesliga.
Stuttgart's fixtures produced 22 overs in 30 rounds this season, with an average of 3.5 goals per match. At home, we saw at least three goals in the last seven in a row. We will pick both goal markets in this one.
This German Bundesliga match between Stuttgart and Heidenheim will be played on and kick off at 19:30. Check below for our tipsters best Stuttgart vs Heidenheim prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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