Greuther Fuerth – Heidenheim

Despite the visitors' ambitions, Greuther Fürth will continue their winning streak at home

Five rounds before the end of the season in Bundesliga II, the situation at the top of the standings is straightforward. Unless something extraordinary happens, Darmstadt 98 will clinch one of the two direct promotion bids. In turn, Heidenheim and Hamburg can only by chance, multiplied by their own will, drop below third place. In other words, they'll share a straight Bundesliga berth and a playoff ticket for promotion against the third-ranked team in Germany's premier league. The Bundesliga II calendar is shaped so that Heidenheim and Hamburg will play the same opponents in the remaining rounds. Frank Schmidt's side will start in Fürth with a match against a mid-table side. Bookmakers are undecided about the favourite in this encounter, offering equal odds on the opponents. Greuther Fürth were the last team in the Bundesliga last season, returning to the second division one year after their triumphant promotion. It took a long time for the team to adapt to the new realities, but they came to their senses and even based themselves in the standings not far from the top three for a while. Subsequently, Greuther Fürth's total instability underlined their lack of ambition to compete for promotion again. That said, it can't help but upset Heidenheim's players ahead of Friday's encounter that Groiter's abysmal away results (the worst in the league) are more than offset by their home successes. At their home arena in Fürth, the club scored nearly 70% of their total possible points. In 2023, the three-leafers played five home games and lost just two points. Heidenheim, like their upcoming opponents, are good at home. Schmidt's team is the best in the Second Bundesliga. In five away matches this year, Heidenheim have lost points three times, including a loss in Braunschweig. Greuther Fürth lost an away game in the first round to their upcoming opponents, but on home soil they can be motivated by the fact that, as a mid-table side, they have the opportunity to influence the allocation of places in the promotion zone.