Facts & Stats: The top facts about the Paderborn game

SV Darmstadt 98 aims to solidify their current fifth-place position in the Bundesliga on this final matchday of the 2025/26 season. However, Hertha BSC is only one point behind the team from southern Hesse and could still climb to fifth place themselves with a win against Arminia Bielefeld if Darmstadt fails to secure a victory. Therefore, this final match of the season is crucial for the Lilies.

SC Paderborn, on the other hand, still has a chance of promotion to the Bundesliga. Currently, SV Elversberg, Hannover 96, and SCP are all tied with 57 points, but Paderborn’s inferior goal difference places them in fourth. To finish in the promotion playoff spot or secure automatic promotion, they need Hannover 96 and/or Elversberg to slip up while simultaneously picking up points themselves.

It’s not just a special game because it’s the final matchday of the season, but also because a very big name is playing his last game for SV Darmstadt 98. FABIAN HOLLAND: He took to the pitch 318 times for the club, sporting the Lily on his chest. And he gave his all every single time. That makes him the fourth-most-appeared player in Darmstadt’s history.

His strength in tackles, yet fair play, usually at left-back, was also evident in this high number of appearances: The Berlin native only received one red card and two yellow-red cards. Furthermore, Holland left his mark on SV 98 with seven goals – many of them spectacular – and 28 assists.

Holland joined SV Darmstadt 98 in 2014 and helped the Lilies achieve promotion to the Bundesliga in 2015. Defying all odds, he secured the team’s Bundesliga survival the following year. In January 2019, the now 35-year-old took over as captain and led the team to promotion back to the top flight in 2023. He retained the captaincy until July 2025 and now retires as a legend and leader of the Lilies.

Currently, Noel Futkeu, striker for SpVgg Greuther Fürth, leads the scoring charts with 18 goals. His closest rivals are Mateusz Zuckowski of 1. FC Magdeburg and Isac Lidberg, both of whom have netted 17 times this season. However, in Sunday’s match between Paderborn and SV 98, another player will be on the pitch who is also near the top of the list. SCP boasts another prolific goalscorer in Filip Bilbija, who, at 26, is currently in fourth place with 15 goals.

Both Paderborn and Darmstadt have scored 57 goals this season. However, their paths to achieving this success differ somewhat. Paderborn created significantly more opportunities, with 60 clear-cut chances and an expected goals (xG) of 64.18, but also failed to capitalise on many of them. In contrast, Florian Kohfeldt’s team only managed 40 clear-cut chances, but were far more clinical in front of goal.

When it comes to set pieces, neither team can compete. Darmstadt have given their fans reason to cheer 19 times from dead-ball situations, with only Ralf Kettemann’s team scoring more goals this way – 22, to be precise. That equates to 39 percent of all Darmstadt’s goals.

Darmstadt have scored the most goals from corner kicks (10), and no other team has scored as many free-kick goals as Florian Kohfeldt’s side (6). However, fourth-placed Paderborn have only conceded one goal from a free kick so far, fewer than any other team.

The Black and Blues are not only impressive from set pieces, but also prove to be extremely dangerous in front of goal from other positions. With a total of eight long-range goals, they score the second-most goals from distance. They also have the most headed shots (101) and have found the net most often in this way (14 times).

But Darmstadt also demonstrate their strength in the air. They have only allowed 61 headed shots, with only two teams facing fewer.