**Historic Comeback Within Reach**
1. FC Heidenheim refuses to give up. After being written off with 19 points after 30 matchdays, Frank Schmidt’s side secured a crucial 3-1 win at 1. FC Köln, setting up a decisive final-day clash at home against Mainz 05 this Saturday. “I said it: if we could win here at Köln, we’d be really pumped for the finale. Now we have the chance to play another year in the Bundesliga,” the coach said. A historic turnaround is on the cards.
**Nail-Biting Finish**
With 19 points from 30 games, Heidenheim faced relegation rival FC St. Pauli on matchday 31, trailing them by seven points. A loss would have sealed their relegation after three years. “It was an almost hopeless situation. After so many winless games, it was hard to believe we could still stay up,” Schmidt admitted. In Bundesliga history, 18 teams with 19 or fewer points after 30 matchdays have all been relegated.
But Heidenheim bounced back. They beat St. Pauli 2-0, then earned a dramatic 3-3 draw at champions Bayern Munich, only to see victory slip away in stoppage time. After beating Köln 3-1 on Saturday, Heidenheim leapfrogged St. Pauli. Over the last three weeks, they have been the best-performing team in the Bundesliga.
The final matchday brings a relegation showdown at Millerntor between FC St. Pauli and VfL Wolfsburg – both on 26 points, level with Heidenheim. Wolfsburg currently occupy the relegation playoff spot. Heidenheim must beat Mainz to seize it. A draw or a St. Pauli win with a similar margin would send the issue to a playoff.
Experts like Lothar Matthäus had given Heidenheim slim survival odds. “Lothar said yesterday: Wolfsburg 60%, Pauli 30%, us 10%. I’d never argue with him, but 10% is 1000% more than a few weeks ago. We believe in it,” Schmidt said with a smile.
