Our next opponents: Newcomers to the Bundesliga

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The first win in the Bundesliga came on matchday four. The historic day from a Heidenheim perspective was rounded off in the 4-2 victory against Werder Bremen with Eren Dinkci, signed on loan from the Green and Whites in the summer, netting a brace and another former Bremen player Jan-Niklas Beste scoring once and setting up another. Four points after four matches, eleventh place in the table – the newcomers have made a decent start in their first season in Germany's top flight.

At times in the game against Werder Bremen there were uncomfortable thoughts of the home game against TSG Hoffenheim when FCH lost 3-2 after leading 2-0. The Swallows also gave up a two-goal lead this time. "The first 15 minutes in the second half were a catastrophe," said Jan-Niklas Beste. Coach Frank Schmidt took a similar view: "Bremen deservedly equalised. Then came the turning point: We didn't give in, kept our heads high, we carried on and won the game with lots of desire and great goals. It was a brilliant football match."

Heidenheim also displayed a strong mentality in the game at Borussia Dortmund. The visitors fought their way back into the game in the second half after going 2-0 down early on. Dinkci and striker Tim Kleindienst from the penalty spot brought the first point for the Swallows in the league with their goals. With a bit more luck they could have had their first away win.

Personnel

Head coach Frank Schmidt was centre stage in the first Bundesliga victory in the club's history and, to a certain extent, he was the star of the team in the 4-2 win against Werder Bremen even if the 49-year-old manager does not see it like that. The game against the Green and Whites was exactly 16 years after Schmidt took over the helm at FCH – and he has taken over from Volker Finke as the longest-serving coach of a Bundesliga team. Finke was the coach at SC Freiburg between 1991 and 2007, a total of 5,843 days, and Schmidt clocked up 5,844 days with the game against Werder. The club was still in the Oberliga when the Heidenheim-born coach took up his post in 2007. That level of continuity is rare in German football. And that not only applies to the coach. Schmidt has already been at Heidenheim for 20 years and enjoys cult status, Holger Sanwald, the CEO at FCH, has led the club for 28 years. Goalkeeping coach Bernd Weng has been doing his job since 2000. And the assistant coaches Bernhard Raab and Dieter Jarosch have been there for more than ten years.

The club also places great value on continuity within the team. No key players left after promotion. And the new signings have been integrated really well. That includes the top scorer with three goals Eren Dinkci, strikers Marvin Pieringer (Schalke 04) and Nikola Dovedan (Austria Vienna), who played for FCH from 2017 to 2019, plus defender Omar Traoré (VfL Osnabrück). The latter came in for the injured Marnon Busch (muscular problems) on the right side of the back four in the last three games and he could start again against the Werkself on Sunday.

Schmidt will only be without the services of striker Elidon Qenaj (rehab after torn cruciate). It is possible that the coach could play two holding midfielders at the BayArena in the shape of Lennard Maloney and Norman Theuerkauf, the oldest player in the squad at 36, as he did against Bremen. The first choices in attack are Dinkci, Beste, Kleindienst and Pieringer.

Performers

The second division champions are full of running. Heidenheim clocked up an average of 120.5 kilometres per game last term, by far the highest number and not just of all clubs in Bundesliga 2. FCH also outran all the top-flight teams. The newly promoted club has continued their work rate in their first season in Germany's top flight and currently lead this ranking after four games with 485.3 kilometres covered so far. By comparison: Bayer 04 have run 16 kilometres less. It is no surprise that a Heidenheim player is also in top spot in the individual rankings: Lennard Maloney has run a distance of over 50 kilometres in four games.

Heidenheim were also the most efficient team in Bundesliga 2 as they only needed just more than seven shots per goal on average. FCH had the top scorer in Tim Kleindienst with 25 goals and Jan-Niklas Beste was in the top three scorers and providers and with 13 assists was the best provider in the second division last season. Both are up at the top of the rankings again this term: Beste has two goals and three assists and Kleindienst two goals and two assists after four games. Heidenheim lead the way in the Bundesliga with two goals from counter-attacks and four from set pieces,

Problems

As dangerous as FC Heidenheim are from their own set pieces, they are also susceptible to those of their opponents. An interesting parallel to Bayer 04. The Werkself have also scored four goals from dead balls but, like FCH, have also conceded four goals from set plays. It will be interesting to see what the meeting of the two teams on Sunday produces in set pieces.

It remains to be seen what the effect will be of the limited Bundesliga experience in the Swallows squad. Only Tim Kleindienst (SC Freiburg), Norman Theuerkauf (Eintracht Braunschweig) and Eren Dinkci (SV Werder Bremen) have played in the top division before this season.

Prediction

Staying up is obviously the main target for the newcomers in their first Bundesliga season. And the start provides good grounds for optimism. One of the main strengths of FC Heidenheim is their unity. Team spirit is not only shown by the players but also the team behind the team. A large number of members of the management and staff have been at the club for many years, some over decades (see Personnel). That unites everybody. And also brings resilience in difficult times on the pitch. The best conditions for surviving the first year in the Bundesliga as underdogs and being able to continue writing the football fairy tale for Heidenheim. The Werkself will have to be prepared for an intense clash against a very compact opponent on Sunday.