How does Florian Kohfeldt view the Lilies' current sporting situation? What does he expect from the game on Friday evening (March 28th at 6:30pm) against SSV Ulm? How does he assess the opponent? And how excited is he about the 1,300 SV 98 fans traveling with him? The head coach of the South Hesse team answered these and other questions at the press conference on Wednesday (March 26th). We've summarised Kohfeldt's most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Holland, Matthias Bader, Paul Will, Christoph Zimmermann, Kai Klefisch, Oscar Vilhelmsson, and Othmane El Idrissi are unavailable due to illness. Fabian Nürnberger has served his red card suspension and is available to play again. Fraser Hornby, however, is out due to a yellow card suspension. Philipp Förster returned to training this week.
Philipp Förster is not yet a candidate for the starting eleven. He has made a decent impression in training over the first few days. The decision as to whether we will take him with us to Ulm will only be made on the Thursday before departure. It is also great to have Fabian Nürnberger back. He hasn’t played a competitive game in the 2nd division for a long time. I didn’t like the fact that he had to face maximum strain with the national team straight after such a long break, with two games in four days. We have to see how we manage his workload. Guille Bueno has performed well to very well in recent weeks. He is a different type of left-back than Fabi. I am pleased that we have a variety of profiles available in that position again, allowing us to react to different situations. So, exciting decisions await me in the coming weeks (grins). There is a high probability that Bueno and Nürnberger will be on the pitch together at some point.
A win in Ulm would be an important step for us. We’ve been able to maintain our consistent performances over the past few weeks. However, we haven’t always picked up the points we could have hoped for. That’s the problem. We’re in a situation where we desperately need points. It would therefore be good for us to earn three points in Ulm against a team that’s behind us. We can take a big step towards being able to plan for the 2. Bundesliga with confidence. We have to be very vigilant, but we mustn’t panic. We absolutely want to win this game. To do that, we need the right mix of vigilance and confidence.
Ulm has always had very close games this season. They’ve rarely suffered clear defeats. When they’ve lost, it’s always been close. They’ve also drawn frequently. For them, this Friday night is a game where, given their situation, a win is practically a must. We’re making it clear to the lads what kind of atmosphere and what kind of team awaits us in Ulm. Ulm is a well-organised opponent, and we have great respect for them. They pursue a playful approach. They have two top central defenders and extremely capable midfielders. There are a lot of footballing issues we have to prepare for.
I’m delighted that so many fans will be there again. It’s very positive that the bond between the team and fans has become very close. This is also reflected in the away support, which is outstanding. The 1,300 fans in Ulm – perhaps a few more will join them – will be heard, just as our fans are heard in every away stadium. I can promise that we will give it our all on the pitch to win.
We’ve drastically under-scored points, considering the probabilities for points in games. The team isn’t happy with that either. The team is extremely annoyed that we haven’t rewarded ourselves enough for what we’ve brought to the pitch. We need to continue learning how to feel the game and, at the right moments, how to finish games or not let them turn around. Our organisation, balance, and ability to create chances are good. But that’s just the basis for being able to feel the game when it counts. That’s part of the development process.
We also used the first week of the international break to work on our athletics. The long period without a break from January to March was marked by many injuries. This also resulted in a lot of work for our staff. We therefore also used the international break to recharge our batteries and rejuvenate ourselves. Since Monday, we’ve only had one focus: Ulm. We’re tackling this challenge with full force and energy.
The card statistics are a problem. Of course, one could ultimately discuss each yellow card on a case-by-case basis. But we have to be honest: We’ve received too many unnecessary cards this season, which have weakened us. We also need to improve our card statistics.
It was nice to see the Bölle from the stands on Tuesday evening. It was a fantastic experience and a great setting for a U21 match of the German national team. The Darmstadt fans created a fantastic atmosphere.
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.