Borussia Dortmund welcome 1. FC Heidenheim to Signal Iduna Park on Sunday evening, 1 February, in a Bundesliga clash between second and seventeenth in the table. Niko Kovac's side have collected 42 points from 19 matches, sitting 31 points clear of their struggling visitors who have managed just 11 points from 15 games. Dortmund enter as overwhelming favourites at home, where the Yellow Wall provides one of European football's most intimidating atmospheres.
Dortmund's recent form reflects their title-chasing ambitions. A 3-0 win at Werder Bremen on 13 January showcased their attacking power, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 victory at St. Pauli four days later. A 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt hinted at defensive vulnerabilities, but consecutive away wins have steadied the ship. Serhou Guirassy continues to lead the line effectively, having scored in the reverse fixture against Heidenheim last season. Marcel Sabitzer has been nursing calf problems since mid-January, though Waldemar Anton has returned to full fitness after recovering from a December injury.
Frank Schmidt's Heidenheim face a battle for Bundesliga survival in their second top-flight campaign. The longest-serving manager in European football, now in his 18th year at the club, has overseen a difficult season with just three wins from 15 matches. November brought heavy defeats at Bayern Munich and Borussia Mönchengladbach, and the squad has lacked consistency throughout. Key striker Budu Zivzivadze remains sidelined with ligament problems, limiting options in attack. Centre-backs Benedikt Gimber and Patrick Mainka carry suspension risks from accumulated yellow cards.
Dortmund have never lost to Heidenheim in four meetings since their promotion to the Bundesliga. The reverse fixture last February ended 2-1 to Dortmund, with Guirassy and Maximilian Beier finding the net. Earlier that season, Dortmund ran out 4-2 winners at Signal Iduna Park. In total, Dortmund have won twice and drawn twice, scoring eight goals to Heidenheim's five.
I'm backing Borussia Dortmund to win and over 2.5 goals at 1.61. Dortmund have scored nine goals in their last three Bundesliga wins, while Heidenheim have conceded 15 in ten away losses this season. The hosts boast a goal difference of +23 compared to Heidenheim's -14. The xG projection (3.08–0.77) supports a 3-1 finish.
