VfL Wolfsburg vs 1. FC Heidenheim Prediction - Bundesliga

VfL Wolfsburg will face 1. FC Heidenheim at 9:30 PM on January 17, 2026, in the Bundesliga. The match will take place at the Volkswagen Arena, where the home team is looking to capitalize on their home advantage to break away from their current 11th place.

Current context and form

VfL Wolfsburg entered this match in 11th place in the league table, with 18 points after 17 rounds. The "Wolves'" recent form has shown signs of improvement with 3 wins and 2 losses in their last 5 matches. However, their defense remains a concern for the coach, as they concede an average of 2.2 goals per game.

Conversely, FC Heidenheim is having an extremely difficult season, sitting at the bottom of the table (18th place) with only 12 points. The away team has only won 1, drawn 1, and lost 3 of their last 5 matches. In particular, Heidenheim's away performance is very unconvincing, with only one away win since the start of the season.

Professional statistics

Based on the statistics, Wolfsburg's attack is significantly more effective than their opponent's. With an average of 1.5 goals per game, the home team is expected to easily penetrate Heidenheim's defense – a team that also has a weak defense, conceding an average of 2.2 goals per game.

History of confrontations and forces

The head-to-head history favors VfL Wolfsburg. In the last five encounters, Wolfsburg have won three, drawn one, and lost only one. In their most recent meeting in August 2025, Wolfsburg secured a convincing 3-1 victory away from home.

Force situation

Both teams are facing a personnel crisis due to injuries:

• VfL Wolfsburg:B. Dardai (knee injury), J. Maehle (shoulder injury), Rogerio (muscle injury), and J. Wind (thigh injury) are definitely out. The availability of M. Muller and J. Seelt remains uncertain.
• 1. FC Heidenheim:We've lost several key players such as F. Feller, L. Paqarada, and B. Zivzivadze due to knee injuries. H. Behrens is also currently recovering and his availability is uncertain.

Predicting the match scenario

Despite the absence of their key striker Jonas Wind, Wolfsburg are still considered the favorites thanks to their well-balanced squad and home advantage at the Volkswagen Arena. The predicted odds of a home win are 45%, while the chances of Heidenheim causing an upset are only 10%.

The match is likely to be one-sided, with Wolfsburg taking control of the ball and applying constant pressure. Given the unstable defenses of both teams, fans can expect a game with more than 1.5 goals.

Team lineup updated at 20:53 on 17/01/2026

Official lineup

VfL Wolfsburg

Diagram: 4-2-3-1

CoachDaniel Bauer

Starting lineup:

• 1. Kamil Grabara (G)
• 41. Jan Bürger (D)
• 15. Moritz Jenz (D)
• 4. Konstantinos Koulierakis (D)
• 25. Aaron Zehnter (D)
• 31. Yannick Gerhardt (M)
• 27. Maximilian Arnold (M)
• 24. Christian Eriksen (M)
• 10. Lovero Majer (M)
• 39. Patrick Wimmer (M)
• 9. Mohamed Amoura (F)

Substitutes:

• 12. Pavao Pervan
• 2. Kilian Fischer
• 3. Denis Vavro
• 26. Saël Kumbedi
• 5. Vinícius Souza
• 37. Pharell Hensel
• 19. Jesper Lindstrøm
• 40. Kevin Paredes
• 11. Adam Daghim

1. FC Heidenheim

Diagram: 4-3-1-2

CoachFrank Schmidt

Starting lineup:

• 41. Diant Ramaj (G)
• 2. Marion Busch (D)
• 6. Patrick Mainka (D)
• 5. Benedikt Gimber (D)
• 19. Jonas Föhrenbach (D)
• 21. Adrian Beck (M)
• 3. Jan Schöppner (M)
• 30. Niklas Dorsch (M)
• 22. Arijon Ibrahimović (M)
• 17. Mathias Honsak (F)
• 18. Marvin Pieringer (F)

Substitutes:

• 40. Frank Feller
• 25. Leonidas Stergiou
• 4. Tim Siersleben
• 23. Haktab Omar Traore
• 20. Luca Kerber
• 16. Julian Niehues
• 29. Mikkel Kaufmann
• 9. Stefan Schimmer
• 38. Yannik Wagner