SV Darmstadt 98 plays in the Regionalliga, Lukas Podolski and his team storm to third place at the World Cup in South Africa, and Lena Meyer-Landrut wins the Eurovision Song Contest for Germany with her song "Satelite": All of this happened a full 15 years ago – the same time as the Lilies' last away game in Ulm. On Friday evening (March 28th, 6:30pm), the Darmstadt team will travel back to the "Ländle" to face the Ulmer Spatzen, and we've summarised the top facts about the game for you.
Aleksandar Vukotic stands a full two metres and one centimeter tall. And the 29-year-old SV 98 central defender knows how to use his height to his advantage. The Serb has won 119 aerial duels this season – more than any other player in the 2. Bundesliga. Vukotic also likes to use his aerial prowess in attack: With three goals this season, he is one of the league’s most dangerous central defenders – only Boris Tomiak (4) has found the net more often.
To score goals, you first have to try. And Darmstadt is doing so in spades: With 384 shots on goal, only 1. FC Köln (421) has more shots on goal. Quantity also equals quality: With 45 goals scored, Darmstadt ranks fifth in the 2. Bundesliga in this category. Compared to an xGoal value of 42.3, Darmstadt’s offence also proves to be quite efficient.
Set-pieces, in particular, are extremely important for the Ulmer Spatzen. They scored over a third of their goals from set pieces. The Lilies should be warned, but they needn’t panic: With seven goals conceded, SV 98 is the third-best team in the 2. Bundesliga when it comes to goals conceded from set pieces. But Ulm’s defence is also considered a shining example: With 32 goals conceded, only two 2. Bundesliga teams have conceded fewer goals than Ulm – Hanover (26) and Köln (31).
Ulm’s most dangerous offensive player is undoubtedly Semir Telalovic: The 25-year-old striker came to the Donaustadion last season from Blackburn Rovers in the English Championship. For the Ehingen native, the move marked a return to his hometown. With his nine goals so far this season, he has contributed more than twice as many as Ulm’s second-best goalscorer, Felix Higl. Telalovic should be more in contention than ever to score against the Lilies. Since scoring four times against SSV Jahn Regensburg on January 26, the striker hasn’t scored again – and Ulmer Spatzen haven’t won since.
The following statistic demonstrates that many of Ulm’s games are quite close: Ulm has collected eleven draws this season – more than any other team in the 2. Bundesliga. And the games the Danube Swabians have lost have almost always been close: a total of nine of their twelve defeats have ended by just one goal.
Anyone hoping to take something tangible from SSV Ulm will have to prepare for a tough, high-stakes battle: Only two teams in the 2. Bundesliga have contested more duels than the Spatzen. On average, the Danube Swabians engage their opponents in 221 duels per game and win an above-average number of them: 2,832 duels won puts them in third place in the 2. Bundesliga in this category.
Aleksandar Vukotic (9), Matej Maglica (4), Philipp Förster (4), and Fabian Nürnberger (4) have all received yellow cards. Another yellow card for any of these players would result in a suspension. Fraser Hornby will miss the game against Ulm due to his sending off in his last game against 1. FC Köln.
| Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals | |
| Home | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 26:22 |
| Away | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11:24 |
| Overall | 29 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 37:46 |
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.