On Saturday (May 3rd/1pm), the Lilies aim to extend their impressive run of four consecutive home wins. At the same time, the clash against Hamburger SV is also about ending another run: No home team has celebrated a victory in a competitive match between Darmstadt and Hamburg in 44 years – time to change that. At a sold-out Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, SV Darmstadt 98, with passionate support from the stands, will aim to take three points against the Hamburg club. Here are the key facts and figures for the clash.
Under Florian Kohfeldt, the Lilies are performing better at home than they have in a long time: They currently have four consecutive home wins – and SV Darmstadt 98 is unbeaten in four matches. But that’s far from over. The Lilies are looking to build on their winning streak, especially at home. They even have a chance this season to repeat a streak they last achieved in 2021. Back then, SV 98 managed six consecutive home wins. A win against HSV, followed by a final win against Jahn Regensburg – and that streak would be broken.
When Darmstadt 98 and Hamburg SV meet, the home team is often at a disadvantage. While SV 98 are unbeaten in eight matches at the Volksparkstadion (five away wins, three draws), Hamburg seem to feel almost a bit too comfortable in Darmstadt. The Hanseatic club has never lost away from home at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The last home win in a meeting between the two teams came 44 years ago in 1981.
The last eleven second-division duels between SVD and HSV have been a busy one: A whopping 38 goals were scored – an average of 3.45 goals per game. But that wasn’t enough: The referees also awarded five penalties and showed a red card four times in these matches. Overall, the two teams met in 21 competitive matches, with HSV scoring a goal in each. But the Lilies also failed to score in only three of the 21 competitive matches.
Darmstadt and Hamburg, the two teams with the strongest counterattacks in the 2nd Bundesliga, will face off. While Darmstadt has already scored seven counterattack goals this season, Hamburg has taken advantage of their opponents‘ offensive play a whopping nine times.
144 won aerial duels. Aleksandar Vukotic wins the most aerial duels in the league. This strength, along with that of his teammates in the defensive unit, will certainly be put to the test on Saturday. The Red Shorts, the former corner-kick champions of the 2. Bundesliga, are coming to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The Hanseatic League has scored eight times from corners – a league best. Darmstadt, on the other hand, scored three times following corners.
When it comes to crosses, both teams seem to choose different strategies to achieve success. SV 98 attempts to use fewer, but high-quality crosses. On average, every 26th cross from the South Hesse side results in a goal – the best rate in the 2. Bundesliga. The Hanseatic League, on the other hand, has the third-most crosses in the 2. Bundesliga with 366 – and they’re no less successful: 14 times, the Hamburg team has scored from open-play crosses – another top stat in the 2. Bundesliga.
One Hamburg player should still be a familiar face to most of the Lilies: goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes returns to the Böllenfalltor on Saturday. Heuer Fernandes played a total of 72 competitive matches for the Lilies from 2016 to 2019, keeping a clean sheet in 17 of those matches.
In the duel against Hamburger SV, two Lilies will face their former youth club: Alexander Brunst and Fabian Nürnberger both have their football roots at HSV. Reserve keeper Brunst came through the Hanseaten’s youth systems from 2008 to 2014. During this time, he made a total of 55 appearances for the U17 and U19 teams, as well as 25 games for the HSV reserve team. Fabian Nürnberger also wore the Rothosen jersey in his youth career. In 2015, he moved to the U17 team of FC Eintracht Norderstedt – and from there embarked on his further path to professional football.
Aleksandar Vukotic (9), Matej Maglica (4), Fabian Nürnberger (4), Killian Corredor (4), Fraser Hornby (4), Sergio Lopez (4), Andreas Müller (4), and Kai Klefisch (4) have already been booked. A further yellow card for any of the players would result in a suspension.
| Games | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Goals | |
| Home | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 9:20 |
| Away | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19:22 |
| Overall | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 28:42 |
Attention Lilien fans: During SV Darmstadt 98’s training camp in Bad Wörishofen (Allgäu region)—taking place from July 19th to July 26th, 2026—there will once again be an opportunity to meet the team, chat with the players, and, of course, get autographs and photos. The fan meet-up is scheduled for Saturday, July 25th, following the friendly match against SG Sonnenhof Großaspach. Kick-off for the match is at 12pm.
SV 98 remains active in the transfer market. The "Lilies" have signed Christopher Lannert from Arminia Bielefeld.
Friendly matches, fundraising campaigns, and plenty of photos—that’s what the week looked like for SV 98 and the club’s community. Between their 5–1 victory over FC Homburg and the upcoming friendly in Walldorf this Friday (July 17), the „Lilies“ showed their best side for the cameras. In addition, the SV 98 legends team will face an Odenwald select squad on Sunday (July 19th). You can also win great prizes in competitions taking place in Erbach and at the pop-up store in downtown Darmstadt. Lilies Across the Board brings you all the latest news from life at SV 98.
The Bundesliga finalised the match schedules for matchdays three through six on Wednesday (July 15th): Darmstadt's home game against Hannover 96 on matchday three will take place on Sunday. This will be followed by their away game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on Saturday at 1pm. The home game against Arminia Bielefeld on Friday evening and the away game in Wolfsburg, also on Friday evening, have also been confirmed.
The Lilies can welcome another new arrival at the Böllenfalltor: Florian Kleinhansl will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 25-year-old joins on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with 1. FC Kaiserslautern on June 30th.
Third test, third clear victory. SV 98 won the match against FC 08 Homburg 5-1 (3-0).
SV Darmstadt 98 and the fusion energy company Focused Energy are entering into an official partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to more closely link top-level football and high technology from the Darmstadt region and to jointly generate momentum for innovation and future societal issues.
Killian Corredor will be playing in his home country again in the future. SV 98 has reached an agreement with FC Nantes on the transfer of the Frenchman.
On Tuesday (July 14, 6pm), SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Regionalliga side FC Homburg and asks fans to take note of the following information.
A home game against KSV! SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Holstein Kiel for the opening matchday of the 2. Bundesliga season this Saturday (August 8 at 1pm). Here’s how you can be there: the member pre-sale for the new season's first home game begins this coming Wednesday (July 15) at 12pm —available online and at the ticket shop at the Merck-Stadion, as usual. You can find all further details in this announcement.
For every home goal scored by the "Lilies," SV Darmstadt 98 fans were doubly rewarded during the recent 2025/26 second-division season. Beyond the joy and excitement, supporters received 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every goal Darmstadt scored at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
In recent days, various media outlets have published reports and graphics regarding the distribution of TV revenue for the 2026/27 season. Some of these reports included not only specific figures but also a comparison to the previous season. This comparison indicates a supposed revenue increase of €1.4 million for SV 98 compared to the 2025/26 season.