The 15th second division matchday casts its shadows ahead. For this reason, the press conference took place on Friday (December 6th) before the duel between SV Darmstadt 98 and Hamburger SV (December 8th/1:30pm). In this, head coach Florian Kohfeldt answered questions about the upcoming opponent as well as his own approach and the balance of the 2nd league as a whole. We have summarised the most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Holland, Christoph Zimmermann, Paul Will and Matthias Bader are still missing. Philipp Förster is on the mend and will take part in part of the team training on Friday (December 6th). The same applies to Fraser Hornby. He will also be on the training pitch in a little bit on Friday. The Lilies did not have any injuries to report from the Bremen game.
It hurt a lot at that moment to be eliminated from the cup in stoppage time. Overall, we put in a very decent performance that gave us a certain chance of winning the game. The team then regenerated on Wednesday and had Thursday off. On Wednesday morning the boys were already full of energy for Sunday.
We are concentrating on a very challenging second division game against a very difficult opponent. After the change of coach, HSV played a little differently in Karlsruhe. They switched from a back three to a back four. And they have brought in an offensive eight with Dompe and Jatta on the wing positions and with Richter. A huge offensive force awaits us. We also expect that they want to confirm their trend at home.
We have gradually increased our variants and flexibility. We can play the back four in different variations – in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-2-2 or in a diamond system. We have recently been playing with a three-man chain both offensively and defensively. So I see us well prepared for the HSV game. And I’m looking forward to a cool game. Nevertheless, we are of course warned against an opponent with very high individual quality.
Preparing for a game is never that pleasant immediately after a change in training. But that cannot be changed. It’s a game in which we have to position ourselves variably. It’s a bit comparable to the home game against Hertha, where they had a lot of suspended or injured players in defense. We have to show a certain degree of variability against HSV, but our basis and principles remain the same. The basic goal is to go to Hamburg and win.
I followed Merlin Polzin during his time in Osnabrück as Daniel Thioune’s assistant coach, but I don’t know him personally. He is technically a very good trainer. I see a lot of good ideas from him about how he wants to approach the game. I’m personally happy for him that he was now able to take the step at HSV. My respect for him is very high, especially when it comes to tactics.
The 2nd league is fascinating. I don’t know if it can get much more balanced than that. But that’s what makes the league so interesting for spectators. Anyone can beat anyone on any day. Stefan Leitl recently said: “If you take your foot off the accelerator by a millimeter, you can lose against any team in this league.” Compared to the first league, there are clearer strengths and weakness profiles in individual positions or situations in each team. If you can find these weakness profiles, you will always have a chance to win games. It’s an incredibly cool league where the competition is very even. Of course, there are two or three teams that have a budget that is significantly higher than all the others – HSV is one of them, by the way. But many teams have a similar collar size. That makes it really exciting.
There's a lot going on at the Bölle. The 98th Darmstadt baby of 2026, along with their family, visited the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, and they weren't the only ones. Where else the Bölle gang has ended up, and many more news items about the club, can be found here in our "Lilies Across the Board" section, as every Wednesday.
SV Darmstadt 98 informed all season ticket holders about the season ticket procedure for the 2026/27 season on Wednesday (May 6th) and would also like to share this letter on the club's own website.
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.