Heidenheim Cautions Against Complacency After Bayern Munich Stumbles in Champions League
Ahead of their Conference League second leg against FC Copenhagen, 1. FC Heidenheim manager Frank Schmidt has warned his team against complacency, citing the recent struggles of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League as a cautionary tale.
Schmidt’s comments come after Bayern scraped through to the Champions League Round of 16 with a late equalizer against Celtic Glasgow, despite holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg. The German record holders’ shaky performance serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football, even for the most favored sides.
"We thought we could predict who would advance, but we saw how it goes in football," said Schmidt. "We are not counting our chickens before they hatch."
Heidenheim faces a similar challenge in their Conference League tie with Copenhagen. The German club holds a narrow 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Denmark, but they are underdogs against their opponents and have struggled for form domestically.
Schmidt believes the positive experience of their first-leg success could provide a boost for Heidenheim, but he is keen to downplay any suggestion that it will be an easy ride against Copenhagen.
"The success in the first leg makes it easier to go into the European match than a Bundesliga game," said Schmidt. "Those negative results in the Bundesliga are simply irrelevant. Conversely, it doesn’t mean that if we advance, it will automatically become easier in the Bundesliga."
Heidenheim had hoped that their morale-boosting win in Copenhagen would translate into improved results in the Bundesliga, but they suffered a 2-0 defeat to FSV Mainz 05 last weekend, extending their winless streak in the league to five matches.
Schmidt is also dealing with fitness concerns ahead of the second leg, with Leonardo Scienza, Omar Traoré, and Sirlord Conteh all doubtful for the match. Maximilian Breunig is ruled out with an ankle injury.
Despite the setbacks, Schmidt remains optimistic about Heidenheim’s chances of reaching the last 16 of the Conference League. A victory would make them the first Bundesliga club to reach that stage of the competition, which was only inaugurated in 2021.
Potential opponents in the Round of 16 include English giants Chelsea or Portuguese side Vitoria Guimarães. The draw for the next round will take place on Friday.
Schmidt is also disappointed that Copenhagen will be without their traveling fans for the second leg. The Danish club was handed a fan ban following serious pyrotechnic incidents in their previous European matches.
"It’s a shame that the guests from Denmark will have to travel without their own fans," said Schmidt. "But we will try to create a good atmosphere in the stadium."
A positive result against Copenhagen would be a major achievement for Heidenheim, who are making their debut in European competition this season. It would also give them a much-needed boost in their fight against relegation in the Bundesliga.
