FC Heidenheim welcome FC Köln to the Voith-Arena on Saturday afternoon in a crucial Bundesliga clash. Frank Schmidt's hosts sit 17th with just 11 points from 15 matches, while Lukas Kwasniok's visitors occupy 11th place on 16 points. Heidenheim desperately need points to escape the relegation zone after consecutive defeats to St. Pauli and Bayern Munich. Köln arrive winless in their last six matches, including three consecutive December losses that left them just four points above the drop zone.
Heidenheim ended 2025 in dismal fashion with a 4-0 thrashing at Bayern Munich following a 2-1 loss to St. Pauli. Their only bright spot came with a 2-1 victory over Freiburg in early December. Schmidt welcomes back striker Budu Zivzivadze from a knee injury, providing a much-needed boost to an attack that has struggled all season. Leart Paqarada remains sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury until late May. New loan signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey from Manchester City could feature on the bench as Heidenheim look to end a difficult run.
Köln's form has stalled badly since mid-November, failing to win any of their last six matches. December brought three straight defeats: a 1-1 draw with St. Pauli followed by losses to Bayer Leverkusen (2-0) and Union Berlin (1-0). The winless streak has left Kwasniok under pressure despite arriving for the 2025-26 season with high expectations. Key defenders Luca Kilian and T. Hubers remain long-term absentees, while Dominique Heintz should return from a hamstring issue. R. Van Den Berg is suspended after a red card in December, further depleting the backline.
Heidenheim cruised to a 4-1 home victory over Köln in their last meeting in May 2024. The teams drew 1-1 when Köln hosted in January 2024. Their head-to-head record stands at one win apiece with two draws across four meetings since 2018. Heidenheim have scored six goals to Köln's five in those encounters, with the most recent result suggesting the hosts have found a formula against their opponents.
My model backs Both Teams to Score at 31/50 (1.62 decimal) with a 63.11% win probability. The correct score prediction is a 1-1 draw with expected goals projecting Heidenheim 1.71 and Köln 1.41. Both teams have scored in three of their four previous meetings, including the last encounter. The defensive frailties on display from both sides in recent weeks suggest goals at both ends, even if neither team can dominate.