The home game against Karlsruher SC (07.03/6.30pm) is the sixth game on a Friday evening this season for the Lilies. The record so far is very good. The only match they lost was against 1. FC Nürnberg, they scored points in the away games in Karlsruhe and Düsseldorf, and they achieved brilliant victories at Schalke and against 1. FC Köln. Before the next floodlit Friday in the Merck Stadium, we have summarised the "numbers and facts" for you.
The KSC almost always scores away from home. The Baden team only failed to score on the second matchday in Düsseldorf. In all other away games, Karlsruhe always managed to score at least one goal. In general, the KSC is strong in attack. Together with SV Elversberg, Christian Eichner’s team has the third best attack in the league with 44 goals. Only Hamburger SV (51) and 1. FC Magdeburg (52) have scored more often.
In the 20 league games under the direction of Florian Kohfeldt, SV Darmstadt 98 scored a total of 39 goals in the current second division season. That is an average of 1.95 goals per game. No other Lilien coach has achieved such a high average since 1992. A record that can happily be maintained.
The South Hesse team has not lost any of the last four encounters with KSC (2 wins, 2 draws). The Lilies went through a rollercoaster of emotions, especially in the first leg. KSC took the lead twice before SV 98 briefly turned the game around. The final score? 3:3.
Both teams are particularly dangerous after crosses from open play. Karlsruher SC has so far scored 14 goals from crosses – the league’s best. SV Darmstadt is in third place in this statistic with 9 goals. The visitors have also made the second most crosses this season (309). Only SC Paderborn have brought the ball here more often (310).
57 games, 19 goals for the Lilies. That’s Luca Pfeiffer. He’s been wearing the KSC jersey since this season. The striker has made 16 appearances for the Baden team. Nicolai Rapp also wore the Darmstadt jersey. The 28-year-old played one and a half seasons for the Lilies, scoring two goals and providing one assist in 45 games. In the 2018/19 season, Marcel Franke also wore the jersey with the Lily on his chest and made 27 appearances. Central defender Robin Bormuth was also a Lily, albeit only in the youth team. The now 29-year-old played for SV Darmstadt 98 up to the U19s and then moved to the youth team of Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Due to illness, Philipp Förster will miss a reunion with his former club. The attacking player played in the KSC youth team until 2010, before moving to Stuttgart. Matthias Bader will also miss the reunion with Karlsruher SC again due to a cruciate ligament tear. The right-back made the jump from the club’s youth team to the pros in 2014 and played for the Baden team for four years. Marco Thiede played for KSC for even longer. The Lilies‘ number 13 played at Wildpark for seven years.
Fabian Nürnberger will miss the Lilies‘ game against Karlsruhe due to a red card suspension. Aleksandar Vukotic (9), Matej Maglica (4) and Fraser Hornby (4) are in danger of suspension due to accumulated yellow cards. Clemens Riedel will return on Friday after his yellow card suspension.
| Games | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Goals | |
| Home | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 20:27 |
| Away | 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 14:40 |
| Overall | 32 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 34:67 |
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.
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.