Ahead of the DFB Cup round of 16, Florian Kohfeldt discusses what's crucial against Freiburg, the away support, and his enthusiasm for the competition. On Wednesday (December 3rd, 6pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit SC Freiburg. We've summarised the most important information from the pre-match press conference for you.
Personnel update: Fraser Hornby is out with a thigh muscle injury.
We can be fairly certain that Fraser won’t play for us this week. However, we’re hopeful he’ll be able to play again before Christmas. Unfortunately, it’s the time of year for these kinds of injuries, and so far we haven’t been significantly affected.
Fraser is one of our key players, and he’s also very important for our defensive setup. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that we have someone in Killian Corredor who can fill his role. With Marco Richter, Yosuke Furukawa, and Luca Marseiler, we also have more than enough alternatives in the number 10 position. Therefore, things aren’t falling apart for us. It’s also clear, though, that a player like Fraser, both in terms of his footballing ability and his personality, isn’t easy to replace. Despite that, we’re determined to manage it and are therefore traveling to Freiburg with optimism.
I think it’s fantastic that so many fans are here. I already found the away support in Elversberg, in a very atmospheric stadium, to be outstanding. We’ll need that support again tomorrow evening.
We need to play a more specific style of football than in the league because their individual quality is much higher than any second-division team. We’re talking about a top-eight Bundesliga side, a team that’s also very consistent internationally. They finished fourth in the Europa League and have a strong cup history in recent years. Therefore, we need to be courageous and take our chances at the right moments. We have a parallel with our away game in Bremen last season’s cup, where we almost pulled it off. And we’re more settled now than we were a year ago. So we definitely fancy our chances and want to do everything we can to advance. But of course, we’re not the favourites.
I wouldn’t mind continuing our winning streak against Freiburg. I know a few people in Freiburg with whom I have a history. In every conversation, I got the feeling they were really keen to continue their cup run. So, we’re facing two teams that both have only one goal. There’s no point in going into a cup match just to look good. We want to choose the best possible strategy to absolutely advance to the next round.
The preparation isn’t really any different from a league match. We do have extra time in mind as an additional factor, in terms of the squad and potential substitutions. But the tactical approach and analysis are the same.
Before the DFB Cup match against Schalke, we practiced penalty shootouts. However, we had the shortest possible interval between matches this time, so we didn’t practice penalties. We do practice regularly, though, and work on having a reliable number of penalty takers. Therefore, this wouldn’t catch us unprepared at all.
For me, the DFB Cup is the best competition in Germany because there’s no „afterwards.“ You’re either through or out, and I personally love that. The cup creates stories that don’t happen in a league match. That’s what we’re hoping for on Wednesday. We want to create a mental situation where Freiburg suddenly has something to lose and can’t just continue playing calmly. Those are exactly the kinds of stories that unfold.
For a club, it’s an incredibly great way to create memorable experiences, especially in connection with the fans. These are things that last. You don’t get that very often in a league match. It’s a wonderful competition. In competitive sports, we thrive on competition because you want to compare yourself to others. In the cup, there’s this one match, and afterward, it’s clear how the competition has ended.
On Sunday, the Lilies face a challenge in Baden: for the 8th matchday, SV Darmstadt 98 travel to take on Karlsruher SC. At the pre-match press conference, our head coach discussed the squad situation, the qualities of the opposition, and the team's motivation to get back to winning ways on the road.
On Sunday (October 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. KSC has a history that extends well beyond the confines of German football: the club from Baden once caused a stir on the European stage, writing a chapter that is still remembered today. But how did KSC manage to step into the international spotlight, and what made this success so special?
The next away match is coming up: this Sunday (October 18th, 1:30pm), the Lilien will visit Karlsruher SC for the 8th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. As always, you can find all the essential information regarding travel and your visit to the stadium in the fan guidelines.
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: