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.
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here:
Despite falling behind, Darmstadt secured their second consecutive home win! Darmstadt defeated Energie Cottbus 3-1 (1-1). The home side equalised after conceding an early goal in the four-minute period through Weißhaupt before halftime. Vukotic headed his team into the lead in the second half, before Lührs sealed the victory with the third goal. This home win brings Darmstadt's season total to seven points.
Homegame at Böllenfalltor (10/10, 1pm): Florian Kohfeldt has made two changes to his starting XI compared to the away match in Wolfsburg three weeks ago. Richter and Mikelbrencis come into the starting lineup for Sickinger (calf issues) and Lannert (illness).
On Saturday afternoon (October 10th, 1pm), SV 98 hosts Energie Cottbus at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor for Matchday 7. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kick-off? Who is officiating the match, and where can you follow the action live? As always, we have compiled all the key information regarding the game against Cottbus in our "Matchday Guide" feature.