Chelsea will be back in action on Thursday as they take on Heidenheim from the Bundesliga in the UEFA Conference League.
The Blues are riding high after defeating FC Noah 8-0 in their last European match, marking their third consecutive win and positioning themselves favorably for knockout stage qualification in 2025.
After securing a 2-1 victory against Leicester City in the Premier League last Saturday, Chelsea aims to maintain this positive momentum ahead of upcoming matches against Aston Villa and Tottenham in early December.
Heidenheim has faced challenges in the 2024/25 season, currently sitting in 15th place in the Bundesliga following a 5-2 loss to Bayer Leverkusen that left them only two points above the relegation zone, with just four victories across all competitions since September 1.
The Sporting News examines the current injury status and expected lineups for this upcoming match.
Heidenheim vs. Chelsea: Expected Lineups and Team News
Despite initially leading 2-0 against Leverkusen, Heidenheim fell apart, leading to speculation about possible changes by coach Frank Schmidt.
Top scorer Marvin Pieringer will be absent due to injury, which Schmidt believes significantly affected his team’s performance.
Defender Marnon Busch is uncertain for this match due to a recent injury, and midfielder Julian Niehues remains unavailable with a serious knee injury.
Heidenheim Predicted XI (4-3-1-2): Muller (GK) — Traore, Mainka, Gimber, Fohrenbach — Maloney, Schoppner, Beck — Dorsch — Wanner, Conteh
Injuries: Busch, Niehues, Pieringer
Suspensions: None
Chelsea will be without captain Reece James due to another hamstring injury sustained before the clash with Leicester, and he is unlikely to return just yet. Right-back Malo Gusto is expected to feature after missing that game due to illness.
Pedro Neto may also make his return, while Levi Colwill will undergo fitness evaluations before the trip to Germany. Coach Enzo Maresca is expected to rotate the squad heavily due to the short preparation time before Sunday’s game against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen (GK) — Gusto, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Veiga — Fernandez, Dewsbury-Hall — Neto, Joao Felix, Mudryk — Nkunku
Injured: James, Colwill (doubt)
Suspensions: None
Ineligible: Palmer, Lavia
How to Watch Heidenheim vs. Chelsea: Live Stream and TV Channels
Here’s where you can catch the UEFA Conference League match broadcast in various regions around the world:
Region | TV | Streaming |
USA | — | Paramount+, ViX |
Canada | — | DAZN |
UK | TNT Sports 1 | discovery+ |
Australia | — | Stan Sport |
India | Sony Ten 2 | Sony LIV, JioTV |