RB Leipzig vs. Heidenheim preview: Both teams targeting first points of the season | OneFootball

RB Leipzig

Leipzig are looking for an improvement this season after experiencing a disappointing 2024/25 campaign. Die Roten Bullen finished in seventh place and one point adrift of European qualification, ensuring they will only have domestic action to focus on in the 2025/26 season.

Ole Werner left his role at Werder Bremen to take over the reins at the Red Bull Arena ahead of the new campaign. The 37-year-old started his tenure with a 4-2 victory over Sandhausen in the DFB-Pokal, before he endured a torrid time in his first Bundesliga match as Leipzig boss. Werner saw his team slip to a heavy 6-0 defeat against reigning champions Bayern Munich, with his side conceding three goals in each half at the Allianz Arena. Unfortunately for Werner, the result represented Leipzig’s heaviest defeat in the Bundesliga.

As a result of that defeat, Leipzig have now gone six matches since claiming their most recent Bundesliga victory in April’s away clash in Wolfsburg. Werner will be desperate to end that winless run in his first home match in charge, especially as he will not want their wait for a league victory to carry into the international break.

Leipzig will be able to take confidence from the fact that they have won three of their previous four Bundesliga matches against Heidenheim.

Team News

The hosts can no longer call upon Xavi Simons’s attacking talents after he recently completed a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

In regard to injuries, Leipzig are unable to call upon Amadou Haidara, Benjamin Henrichs and Tidiam Gomis, while it remains to be seen whether summer signing Andrija Maksimović will be fit for Saturday’s fixture.

Predicted lineups: Gulácsi; Baku, Orbán, Raum; Schlager, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Bakayoko, Nusa, Openda

Heidenheim

Heidenheim are competing in the Bundesliga for a third consecutive season after surviving a promotion/relegation playoff last term. Frank Schmidt’s side preserved their top-flight status with a dramatic 4-3 victory in their two-legged tie against Elversberg.

They returned to competitive action with a dominant 5-0 victory in their Pokal clash against Bahlingen earlier this month, before they played host to Wolfsburg in their Bundesliga opener. Heidenheim’s Léo Scienza cancelled out Andreas Skov Olsen’s opener, only for Wolfsburg to net two second-half goals to run out 3-1 winners at the Voith-Arena.

Schmidt will be concerned that his team shipped three goals on matchday one, especially as they finished last season with the fourth-worst defensive record in the Bundesliga. With that in mind, the Heidenheim boss will be challenging his side to produce an improved defensive performance in their third trip to the Red Bull Arena in their short Bundesliga history.

The visitors are targeting a third successive away league victory after beating Stuttgart and Union Berlin in their final two road trips of the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign. However, they will be mindful of the fact that they have never beaten Leipzig in the top flight and never recorded a competitive away victory over Saturday’s opponents.

Team News

The visitors are without the injured quartet of Marvin Pieringer, Thomas Keller, Frank Feller and Nick Rothweiler. Léo Scienza is unlikely to be involved, with the attacker believed to be closing in on a move to Southampton.

In positive news, Leart Paçarada will feature in the matchday squad following his recent move from Köln.

Predicted lineups: Ramaj; Mainka, Gimber, Siersleben; Conteh, Dorsch, Schöppner, Föhrenbach; Ibrahimović, Honsak, Zivzivadze