FC Heidenheim

It was quite an astonishing first season in the Bundesliga for Heidenheim, as they defied all the odds to not only survive relegation, but to qualify for European competition. They were tough to beat throughout the campaign and even managed to topple Stuttgart and Bayern Munich on their way to an 8th place finish. Head-Coach Frank Schmidt has done a remarkable job since taking up the role all the way back in 2007, guiding the club up from the fourth tier and continuing to rise to each new challenge his side face. This coming season will again be a difficult task, in which Schmidt is likely to relish. A lot of their good work last season came through winger Jan-Niklas Beste, so losing him to Benfica is a tough one to take. Brazilian Leo Scienza was excellent for Ulm in the third-tier last season, but whether he has what it takes at this level, remains to be seen. Heidenheim have also had to deal with two more losses, striker Tim Kleindienst has left for Borussia Monchengladbach while versatile forward Eren Dinckci has moved on after an impressive loan stint. The former has been top-scorer for the last three seasons and will be difficult to replace. Mikkel Kaufmann from Union Berlin will hopefully help to fill the void up front, his high energy and pressing should suit the style of play, but scoring goals has so far not been particularly high on his CV. Sirlord Conteh from Paderborn is also dangerous with his pace but lacks experience at this level. All the other newcomers are relatively untested in the top flight, but if anyone can get them playing at a better standard, it's Frank Schmidt. Heidenheim should again be tough to beat, but some extra strength in depth defensively may still be needed.