Facts & Figures: The top facts about the Hertha game

After a commanding 4-1 opening victory against VfL Bochum and a 1-0 away win against 1. FC Nürnberg, the Lilies collected a whopping six points out of six in the second division. But that’s not the only remarkable thing. The two victories enabled the Lilies to achieve something special: For the first time since the 1987/88 season, the South Hesse team has started a second division season with two wins from two matches. This weekend’s match against Hertha could turn a special start into a historic one: The Lilies have never achieved three wins at the start of a second division season.

If Hertha had had a motto over the past seven months, it would have been: „If Reese doesn’t score, Hertha doesn’t win.“ The last time the Old Lady celebrated a victory without a goal from the striker was in January of this year – in a 2-1 away win in Paderborn, when Derry Scherhant and Michael Cuisance scored. Since then, Fabian Reese has always scored when Hertha Berlin emerged victorious. In the first two matches of this season, Reese has not been involved in a goal, meaning the Blue-Whites have yet to register three points. But in the duel against the Lilies, Reese will likely be highly motivated to change that.

The Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor is still an impregnable fortress for Hertha in the 2nd Bundesliga: The capital club has played in Darmstadt seven times in the German lower house, losing five times and sharing the points twice. Darmstadt should be warned, however, because the Berliners certainly know how to win at Böllenfalltor: Examples like the 2-0 cup defeat at home to Hertha in 2018 and the 2-0 home defeat in the Bundesliga in 2017 should serve as a warning to the South Hesse club that points aren’t necessarily a given on Sunday (August 24th).

Of course, season statistics after the second matchday are only partially meaningful due to the very limited sample size, but they can still reveal certain trends… And Darmstadt’s attacking power was a standout in the first two matchdays: With five goals after two games, only Arminia Bielefeld (seven) scored more. The South Hesse side are particularly fast-paced after winning the ball: six counter-attack shots and three counter-attack goals are both league-best figures this season.

The blue and white club colours of Hertha BSC are nothing new to Leitl—after all, he already wore them during his playing career, albeit with the blue and white Lilies. From 2004 to 2007, the former midfielder played for SV Darmstadt 98 in the Regionalliga Süd. In a total of 93 appearances for the 98ers, he scored 14 goals and provided three assists.

Jean-Paul Boëtius, a former Hertha player, plays for the Lilies. The Dutchman began his career at Feyenoord Rotterdam before moving to the Bundesliga via loans to Genk and Basel – first to Mainz 05, and later to Hertha BSC in the 2022/23 season. He made 21 Bundesliga appearances for the capital club. His resume includes 143 Bundesliga appearances, scoring twelve goals and providing 20 assists. Since joining SV 98, Boëtius has already made 13 second-division appearances, providing two assists.

Fabian Holland also once wore a Hertha jersey. The Berlin native progressed through all of the „Old Lady’s“ youth teams and made 25 competitive appearances for the first team before moving to Darmstadt.

Another former Hertha player in the current SV 98 squad is Lilies newcomer Marco Richter. The 27-year-old played for the capital club between 2021 and 2023. In 66 appearances – almost 60 of which were in the Bundesliga – he scored 14 goals and provided seven assists.