Finally second division football again in the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor! On Sunday (August 4th) SV Darmstadt 98 welcomes the Fortuna Düsseldorf team. Before the ball rolls from 1.30pm, we'll look at the most important facts and figures ahead of the 21st meeting between the two teams. How did the Lilies' last home game against the Rhinelanders end? Why were Fortuna so strong last season? And what connections are there to Düsseldorf? We'll tell you.
The Lilies have good memories of SV 98’s last home game against Fortuna Düsseldorf. In the 2022/23 second division season, at the end of which the Darmstadt team was promoted to the Bundesliga, both teams met in the first half of the season in the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. In a tight game, SV 98 won the game from a set piece situation: Patric Pfeiffer scored the important 1-0 winning goal in the 73rd minute.
The Lilien fans, on the other hand, do not have good memories of many other matches against Fortuna Düsseldorf. After all, the team from North Rhine-Westphalia has won ten of twelve second division games against SV 98 in the last 35 years. The two Lilien victories in October 2022 and April 2018 remained the exception. It’s about time to slowly put an end to the Fortuna run…
What an impressive season from Fortuna Düsseldorf. Last season, head coach Daniel Thioune’s team narrowly missed promotion to the German top flight – Fortuna only lost out to VfL Bochum in the relegation penalty shootout. Before that, however, the Düsseldorf team put in impressive performances: the Rhinelanders have not lost a second division game since February. Altogether, Fortuna Düsseldorf has 14 unbeaten league duels in a row – with nine wins and five draws. A series that, from Lilien’s point of view, can stay in the old season.
With 72 goals scored, Fortuna Düsseldorf had the best offensive of the past second division season. Will such an impressive number be achieved again? Finally, the Rhinelanders lost their top scorer in Christos Tzolis this summer. The Greek scored 22 goals and became top scorer in the 2nd league together with Robert Glatzel (HSV) and Haris Tabakovic (Hertha). But Tzolis moved to Club Bruges during this transfer window.
Of the entire SV Darmstadt 98 squad, only Karol Niemczycki once wore the Fortuna Düsseldorf jersey. The Polish keeper was under contract with the 95ers for a year from 2023 to 2024 and played a total of three competitive games. Christoph Zimmermann doesn’t have a Fortuna past, but he does have a Düsseldorf past. The central defender of SV 98 is a native of Düsseldorf. He also played for SC Düsseldorf-West in his youth.
| Games | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Goals | |
| Home | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 11:19 |
| Away | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9:20 |
| Overall | 20 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 20:39 |
The second consecutive away game, and the last of the season, is upon us. Once again on a Sunday (May 10th, 1:30pm), Darmstadt will be playing away – this time against SC Preußen Münster. Everything you need to know for your final away trip of the season to the LVM-Preußenstadion, about three and a half hours away, can be found here in the usual fan information section.
There's a lot going on at the Bölle. The 98th Darmstadt baby of 2026, along with their family, visited the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, and they weren't the only ones. Where else the Bölle gang has ended up, and many more news items about the club, can be found here in our "Lilies Across the Board" section, as every Wednesday.
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.