In each team's third league match of 2024–25, Borussia Dortmund takes on FC Heidenheim on Friday at Signal Iduna Park in an attempt to record their second victory of the Bundesliga season.
After two matchweeks, the host team is in fourth place with four points after drawing 0-0 with Werder Bremen, while the visitors are first with six points after defeating Augsburg 4-0 on September 1.
The hosts and Werder Bremen drew quite quietly, with both teams producing a meagre 0.98 xG combined.
Despite the fact that Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck was dismissed in the 73rd minute, manager Nuri Sahin can at least take pride in the fact that his team only gave up one goal while down to 10 men.
The Black and Yellows had the deepest defensive line in the Bundesliga during the previous season under previous manager Edin Terzic, but it's already evident from Sahin's two league games that he's tried to adopt a more forward-thinking strategy.
The 2024–25 league season is just two games old, but it's interesting to note that Dortmund has allowed the joint fewest xG thus far, compared to the ninth-highest amount during Terzic's last season.
Prior to these matches, Sahin's team had lost three, drawn one, and won two of their previous five league games. However, they enter the matchup having won their last three Bundesliga games.
Dortmund has won its last three league home games by a combined score of 11-1, but Fares Chaibi of Eintracht Frankfurt missed a great chance to give his team the lead in the 71st minute of the team's most recent game at Signal Iduna Park.
With five wins from five competitive games this season, opponents FC Heidenheim's incredible success story is far from over.
Even though Heidenheim only had 36% of the ball in their victory over Augsburg, they managed to produce four excellent opportunities and give up zero goals.
The visitors defeated Hacken 5-3 on aggregate in the Europa Conference League's fourth and final qualifying round, securing their spot in the first round of a competition for the first time in their history.
Despite having the 16th fewest touches in the opponent box and the 16th lowest average possession rate among the 18 teams in the top flight, head coach Frank Schmidt's club is currently leading the Bundesliga.
Heidenheim has emerged victorious from their past eleven games, which includes friendlies. In their last six Bundesliga games, they have won four and drew two.
Additionally, Schmidt's team has only lost once in their previous 11 road top-flight games and is unbeaten in their last five league away games.
