FC Heidenheim have been the surprise package of this season's Bundesliga. Following their first ever promotion to Germany's premier division, they have taken to it like a duck to water.

Currently, Frank Schmidt's side sit 10th on 37 points and have confirmed their Bundesliga status with three fixtures still to play. 

In fact, Heidenheim are not just looking to secure a top half finish but also have the possibility of a late push for a place in Europe given confirmation that the Bundesliga have been rewarded with an extra place as a result of their coefficient standing. 

The team based in the picturesque Baden-Wurttemberg can afford to set their sights as high as seventh-place Freiburg on 40 points, with eighth and ninth-place Hoffenheim and Augsburg perhaps the more realistic targets as both sit on 39 points.

The tight nature of the 2023-24 Bundesliga, however, does mean that Heidenheim will have to be weary of Wolfsburg (34 points) and Borussia M'gladbach (32 points) languishing over their shoulders. 

Their 1-0 victory over fellow promoted side Darmstadt last week unfortunately relegated Die Lilien. A hard-fought victory, it means that on the face of it, the hosts will have little to play for against Mainz. 

In saying that, Heidenheim have proven a force at the Voith-Arena in recent weeks, with an emphatic display to win 3-2 against Bayern Munich and going toe to toe with a strong RB Leipzig team, a late goal being the difference maker in that match. 

On the other hand, it has been a difficult season for their Western German neighbours, Mainz, who are in real danger of facing the dreaded relegation play offs. 

Dusseldorf are the current favourites to finish third in Bundesliga 2 and be their opponents, although Hamburg could also be in with a chance. 

Just two points separate Mainz and 14th place Union Berlin, while it is a difference of four points to 13th place Gladbach. They are unlikely to catch Wolfsburg in 12th.

Therefore, it is seemingly a battle between Mainz, Bochum, and Union Berlin to avoid the play-offs. Three fixtures remain, and of course there is potential for movement.

For the Die Nullfunfer faithful, all eyes will be fixed on Bochum vs Union Berlin, who face off earlier in the day on Sunday.

Bo Svensson will likely prefer a draw, but if one is to lose, then it is more favourable for Union Berlin to claim the three points as Bochum have the tougher remaining fixtures travelling to Leverkusen next week.

Even though home advantage and the visitors poor away form would make Heidenheim favourites coming into this game, it is unlikely to be as straightforward as this.

The hosts defeated Die Nullfunfer 1-0 in the first half of the season; subsequently, they will want revenge. What's more, Mainz simply have more to play for, and they will do everything to change their fate, the dreaded relegation play-offs.

Team News

FC Heidenheim

Omar Traore returns to the side following his suspension for receiving his fifth yellow card against Leipzig, which kept him out of last week's 1-1 victory versus Darmstadt.

Kevin Sessa is out for Sunday's clash after his 70th minute substitution for goalscorer Nikola Dovedan indicated an injury concern. 

Long term absentees Elidon Qenaj and Thomas Keller remain side lined following a knee injury and cruciate ligament tear respectively. 

Marnon Busch's season is over after a knee injury, while Lennard Maloney (dislocated shoulder) and Adrian Beck (ankle injury) will not feature until next month.

Mainz 05

Austrian full-back Phillip Mwene was sent off in added time last week against Koln and will therefore be unavailable for their clash versus Heidenheim.

Nadiem Amiri and Brajan Gruda are also suspended for Sunday after picking up their fifth yellow cards.

However, there is good news for Die Nullfunfer, as Jae Sung-Lee and Tom Krauss are expected to return from suspension. The pair missed the Koln fixture after receiving their fifth yellow card against Freiburg two weeks ago.

Stefan Bell did not feature last week due to illness, but he is thought to have recovered and should be included in the squad to face Heidenheim. 

Jessic Ngankam continues to suffer from a hamstring injury, and Maxim Leitsch has a muscle injuryit is unclear whether the latter is fit enough to feature. 

Likely lineups 

Heidenheim: Muller; Fohrenbach, Gimber, Mainka, Traore; Schoppner, Beste, Dovedan, Dinkci; Kleindienst, Pieringer.

Mainz 05: Zentner; Hanche, Berg, Kohr; Caci, Fernandes, Barreiro, Widmer; Burkardt, Jae-Sung, Ajorque.

Key Players 

FC Heidenheim - Tim Kleindienst 

Despite Nikola Dovedan finding himself on the scoresheet in two successive games after making an instant impact from the bench, and his likely inclusion this weekend at No. 10 given the injury to Kevin Sessa, it is difficult to predict how Frank Schmidt will approach this match.

Therefore, striker Tim Kleindienst was the next obvious pick. With 11 goals and four assists in the Bundesliga, the 28-year-old has featured in all 31 games for the hosts and been pivotal in Heidenheim's debut campaign. 

Even though he is goalless in three matches following his braces in an unexpected 3-2 win against Bayern Munich and a hard fought 2-2 draw versus Stuttgart, he is still heavily involved in play, and he has been unlucky not to add to his goal tally.

Last week at Darmstadt, Kleindienst registered three shots, with one on target, although a low expected goals of 0.2 suggests they restricted him to areas where he was unlikely to score.

Mainz have faced the fifth most shots in the Bundesliga (349) and rank seventh for goals conceded (49). Therefore, the visitors concede opportunities, and it is up to Heidenheim's talisman to convert them. 

Along with that, expect a higher expected goals as the German will likely be offered better shooting positions by the opposition. 

Five shot creating actions, two progressive passes, and 23 carries against a resilient Darmstadt last week emphasise his importance to Heidenheim in the forward areas.

Mainz 05 - Jonathan Burkardt 

It's been a turbulent season for Jonathan Burkardt. Recovering from a knee injury, he did not return to the Mainz squad until the 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim in late November. 

His return coincided with a poor run of form for Mainz, who failed to register a win in December and January. The striker would not score or assist throughout this period.

To make matters worse, the 23-year-old would then miss two games in February owing to infection, by which time Mainz had finally won, beating Augsburg 1-0. 

However, since returning in early March, the German has been crucial in the visitors bid to avoid the relegation play offs. 

Five out of his six Bundesliga goals have come post-infection, he has also contributed two assists. Goals at Freiburg and Hoffenheim and an assist at Darmstadt have also come in recent weeks.

Following that, five successive 90 minutes in a row have enabled him to put together a consistent run of form and an excellent return.

Despite failing to score last week at Cologne, the Mainz attack will be bolstered by the inclusion of Jae-Sung Lee, who adds more fluidity to their attack. 

Expect Lee to have a positive impact on Burkardt and for the pair to combine well to cause the Heidenheim defence problems.

Match Details 

Where is the match being played?

The match is being played at the Voith-Arena.

What time is kick-off?

The match is set to kick off on Sunday at 18:30 (GMT).

Where can I watch the match?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match on the Sky Sports Arena channel on their TV and they can also follow via the Sky Sports website or the App.