Matchday in focus: 1. FC Heidenheim

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Eintracht Frankfurt

·14 Maret 2026

Matchday in focus: 1. FC Heidenheim

Heidenheim are on a 12-game winless run but have had plenty of different scorers this term, while goalkeeper Diant Ramaj has an Eintracht past.

Tactics

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Head coach Frank Schmidt is not tied to a particular tactical set-up. He employed a 4-3-3 formation against TSG Hoffenheim last week, but sent his team out with a three-man backline the previous week.

Former Eagle Diant Ramaj is the first-choice goalkeeper, while Hennes Behrens, Benedikt Gimber, Patrick Mainka and Omar Traoré made up the four-man rearguard last week. Niklas Dorsch, Jan Schöppner and Luca Kerber, who struck twice in the 4-2 reverse against Hoffenheim on Matchday 25, packed the midfield, with Mathias Honsak operating further forward on the left wing, and centre-forward Budu Zivzivadze surprisingly on the right, with Marvin Pieringer playing through the middle.

Absentees

Eintracht are without Michy Batshuayi, Younes Ebnoutalib, Ansgar Knauff, Rasmus Kristensen, Kaua Santos, Arthur Theate and Can Uzun.

Heidenheim must make do without Leart Paçarada (cruciate ligament), Christian Conteh (illness), Tim Siersleben (illness) and Leonidas Stergiou (muscle tear).

One to watch

Ramaj has been a cornerstone of the Heidenheim team this term, amassing 2,160 minutes across 24 league outings, of which he has played from start to finish each time. The 24-year-old, who was previously on the books at Eintracht, only missed out on Matchday 24 against Werder Bremen.

Furthermore, Ramaj …

… came through Heidenheim’s youth academy and joined the first-team squad from a young age.
… transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021 and won the UEFA Europa League with the club, but he didn’t make an appearance in the competition due to a meniscus injury.
… joined Ajax in 2023.
… moved to Borussia Dortmund in February 2025 and was loaned to FC Copenhagen until the end of the season. He won the league and cup double in the Danish capital.
… returned to Heidenheim at the start of 2025/26.
… made three appearances for Germany’s U20s between 2020 and 2021.

Facts and figures

Heidenheim are the only Bundesliga team still without a victory in 2026, having posted three draws and seven defeats so far this calendar year. Added to two further losses before Christmas, their winless run now stands at 12 league games.

Although Schmidt’s side have scored a league-low 24 times so far this season, 15 different players have found the net for them. Only Eintracht, Bayern Munich and Augsburg, all with 17, are above them in that particular category.

Reunion

Ramaj joined Eintracht from Heidenheim in 2021 but moved on to Ajax in 2023.

Mo Dahoud played alongside Stergiou at VfB Stuttgart in 2023/24.

Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab and Behrens played together for the Hoffenheim reserves in 2024/25.

Michael Zetterer was team-mates with Marnon Busch and Mainka in the Bremen reserves.