What awaits the Lilies on Saturday evening (March 15th at 8:30pm) in Köln? How does Florian Kohfeldt view the clash with Effzeh? And what will SV Darmstadt 98 need to do to successfully defeat the second-placed team in the 2. Bundesliga? The SV 98 head coach answered these and other questions at the press conference on Thursday (March 13th). We've summarised Kohfeldt's most important comments for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Holland, Matthias Bader, Paul Will, Christoph Zimmermann, as well as Philipp Förster, Kai Klefisch, Oscar Vilhelmsson, and Othmane El Idrissi are unavailable. Fabian Nürnberger is only out for this match due to a red card suspension. Will, Bader, and El Idrissi will not be available again this season – the same likely applies to Zimmermann.
As in recent weeks, the team was and remains very concentrated and focused. They have a good mix of relaxedness and focus. I haven’t noticed any change in the tension. The coaching staff consciously decided to have a long training week with five training days. This week, we continued to work on our core skills with full concentration and made good use of the week. Unfortunately, due to the many injuries, we still have a small training group available. The team is still very positive.
1. FC Köln is a team that wants to be promoted. And they’re absolutely justified. Overall, they probably have the best squad in the league, with many first-division players. Alongside HSV, they’re the number one favourite for promotion. Given all the constraints—including, of course, the stadium, which we’re looking forward to—they’re actually a first-division team. They’ve achieved many good results this season. Overall, Köln is very stable, concedes few goals, and plays with a very mature and cohesive approach. Added to that is the high level of individual quality.
Köln is the clear favourite on Saturday evening. They’re under pressure to win. We know we’re consistent in our performances, so we’re traveling to Köln with great enthusiasm and excitement. We want to stay true to what we stand for. We want to have the ball in Köln as well and develop attacking solutions. To do that, we need courage and conviction, as well as the right risk assessment. I expect us to be physically ready to leave everything, absolutely everything, on the pitch. We’ll certainly have to solve things defensively through intensity. If we’re up for it—and I sense that we are—it can be a great evening.
We see the game as something of an experience. It will be a game in front of a fantastic crowd. Köln has one of those stadiums, which I’m really looking forward to. It’s one of the football locations in Germany. We have an outstanding stadium here at Bölle. But you can also feel the magic of football in Köln. We want to enjoy that.
The last few weeks have been a real effort for everyone involved—not just for the players, but also for the entire staff, who have delivered top performances. The last few weeks have been very draining due to the personnel situation with many injuries, as well as the results. The break is therefore a good time for us. We will also use it to give everyone a few days off so we can start the rest of the season full of energy. But first, we’re off to Köln.
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.