Bayern against Heidenheim may be a relatively new fixture on the football calendar, but the four previous competitive meetings to date have always produced goals in abundance – 6.5 per game in fact. The one blemish from a Bayern perspective is that the respective home team has won each time. It means three FCB wins at the Allianz Arena, but last season’s visit to Heidenheim ended in victory for Frank Schmidt’s side. Here’s even more facts and stats ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga game.
Poor home form meets happy travellers
Bayern have been in good form on the road in the Bundesliga, going unbeaten in their last six fixtures (four wins, two draws) and already earning more points on their travels (31) than they managed in the whole of 2023/24 (29). Vincent Kompany’s team boast the best away record in the division and now visit the club with the fewest points at home (10). Heidenheim have also lost 10 of their 14 home fixtures this term. Only Hannover (2015/16) and Tasmania Berlin (1965/66) have ever lost more at this stage of a season (both 11).
Worlds apart this year
The second half of this season has gone very differently for Saturday’s two opponents. While Bayern have won a league-high eight games since the campaign’s halfway point, Heidenheim have lost eight since Matchday 18, which is the most of any team. Schmidt’s side also boast the worst attack in that time with only nine goals scored. Bayern come top in that regard with 30 goals.
Gnabry off the bench
Serge Gnabry made an immediate impact when he came on against Borussia Dortmund last weekend, scoring to put Bayern 2-1 ahead just six minutes after his introduction. Five of his six league goals this season have been as a substitute, which is more than any other player in the division. The only time a Bayern player has had more goals from the bench in a Bundesliga season was Robert Lewandowski in 2015/16 – the year of his historic five-goal haul against Wolfsburg, which helped him to seven strikes as a substitute. But Gnabry ranks ahead of Lewandowski all-time, with 13 goals for the 29-year-old off the bench. The only players to have more as a substitute for Bayern are Alexander Zickler (18) and Franck Ribery (15).
Gnabry will also have mixed feelings of facing Heidenheim. He was involved in both Bayern goals on the only previous visit there, but the Bavarians ended up losing 3-2.
Comeback qualities
Even though Bayern were unable to get more than a 2-2 draw against Dortmund last time out, the team once again showed morale and hit back from 1-0 down. Kompany’s side are also the best in the Bundesliga in that regard, earning 13 points from losing positions. But it would also bode well if they went ahead in Heidenheim, as Schmidt’s men are the only team in the division yet to win a game when trailing and have earned a league-low two points from losing positions.
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