Chelsea £21m summer signing sends perfect Enzo Maresca message as Jadon Sancho reality clear
Bobby Vincent discusses his main talking points from Chelsea’s 2-0 victory against FC Heidenheim on Thursday evening as the Blues keep up their 100% record in the UEFA Conference League
Never before did I think I would go to Heidenheim. As lovely, intriguing and peaceful the town is, it is probably a place I will not get the opportunity to come back to.
With a population of just 50,000, it was immediately evident something was going on in the German town. Pubs and bars were filled throughout the day on Wednesday and particularly Thursday.
Chelsea were in town. A classic UEFA Conference League away day. An opposition, with no disrespect intended to FC Heidenheim, many people knew very little about. However, the German club’s rise, under long-serving manager Frank Schmidt, is inspirational.
Successive promotions between 2007 and 2009 saw Heidenheim reach 3. Liga, Germany’s third-tier. Schmidt’s side took five years to get out of that league. And then in 2014, Heidenheim won the league title to achieve promotion to the second-tier.