The results of 1. FC Heidenheim so far are impressive. Now a real acid test against Werder Bremen is on the horizon. FCH coach Frank Schmidt prefers to activate his long-term memory instead of his short-term memory.
Bremen against Heidenheim? There was something: In the 2020 relegation, second-division side FCH held Bundesliga side SVW to two draws (0-0, 2-2), but the away goals rule meant there was no league swap between the two teams. A good year later, there will now be a meeting in the 2nd division: on Friday (18.30, LIVE! on kicker) Werder will welcome the Swabians to the far north.
“The 2020 relegation no longer plays a role for us,” emphasises Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt. “That was a long time ago in footballing terms and has long since been ticked off. What counts is the present and that is everyday league life and another chance to pick up points. Werder Bremen are of course a house number and the Weserstadion has a certain punch. “
Instead of using his short-term memory, Schmidt preferred to activate his long-term memory: “In the 3rd Division, we played Bremen II on the side pitch for years. Now we have a match against Werder, which was unthinkable a few years ago. It’s always something special to play against the big boys in the league. But it’s still 2nd division and it’s about three points. We have to show our best performance if we want to get something in Bremen. “
Defend attentively and run a lot again
According to the table, FCH are even slightly favoured: After eight games, the Swabians are in third place with 15 points (4/3/1). Only six goals conceded also mean the best defence in the 2. Liga. “We defend well, and it’s always also about surviving the opponent’s pressure phases,” says Schmidt. “I am happy that we have 15 points. We want to add more as soon as possible. We know what matters in the second division. We may not have scored the most goals, but we have created some of the most big chances.”
Accordingly, Heidenheim do not want to hide in Bremen. “We must not be blinded by their two recent defeats,” warns Schmidt. “We have to defend attentively and actively.”
Running strength could also make a difference: FCH have the top figure in the 2nd Bundesliga with 947.43 kilometres covered, while Werder have the worst statistics league-wide with 887.55 kilometres.
