Cup press conference before the round of 16 of SV Darmstadt 98 at Werder Bremen! On Tuesday evening (December 3rd/8:45pm) the Lilies will play in the Weserstadion. Florian Kohfeldt was previously available to journalists as a conversation partner on Monday (December 2nd). In the pre-game PK, the head coach of SV 98 answered questions about the upcoming opponent and his personal relationship with Werder Bremen. We continued with the process leading up to the game, the away task itself and development potential. We have summarised the most important Kohfeldt statements for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Holland, Paul Will, Matthias Bader and Christoph Zimmermann are missing due to long-term injuries. Klaus Gjasula is ready for action and has a chance of a place in the squad.
I have to praise the people in charge very much for the framework conditions that they have created during this English Week. Travel time isn’t really an issue. Nevertheless, the gap between the games is of course very short. Werder also played on Saturday, but five hours earlier. That makes a small difference. We recovered immediately after the game on Saturday; the boys didn’t go home like they usually do. They had regeneration measures here in the stadium. Yesterday, Sunday, each player trained and regenerated individually. This afternoon we will have a short final training session as a team, but it will be significantly less intense than the final training sessions usually are – simply to keep the risk of injury as low as possible. We will then sweat briefly in Bremen on Tuesday morning and arrive in good physical condition in the evening. The team already showed in the last English week that they can do that.
Werder Bremen has strengthened itself as a collective over the past few years. You’ve been working with Ole Werner for three years now, which shows. Werder have clear processes, are very courageous against the ball and are man-oriented. I expect them to press us very hard. This season they have also become more variable in their basic formations and switch between a back three and a back four. In all parts of the team they have players who can decide a game on their own. Weiser, Ducksch, Schmid, Friedl, Lynnen or Stage: These are all difference players. In terms of squad quality, they belong to the top half of the table. And they are currently playing a very solid season in the Bundesliga.
It will be a very big challenge. And it requires extremely good content performance. For a second division team, we have a very developed and good feel for positional and offensive play. We are still able to defend more and more stably. But we certainly have to put in an extremely strong mental performance as well. There will probably be phases in the game where we have to suffer a bit. It won’t be the case that we will consistently be the more dominant team, even if we don’t want to give up on this approach completely. We can also expect the power and energy of the stadium, which we have to channel positively for ourselves. If we can do all of this, we hold out the possibility of finding that one moment that can take us to the quarter-finals as underdogs. We have the idea and the belief that we can use this small opportunity to move forward.
Werder will probably win nine out of ten games in Bremen. But nine out of ten doesn’t mean ten out of ten. There are few cooler places to play an awesome football game under floodlights on a Tuesday evening at 8:45pm. We have nothing else planned. And that should be the focus. It will be a completely different game than against Münster. We’re definitely not the favourites tomorrow. The Münster game was manageable in terms of the level of spectacle, but I still saw a lot of positive aspects. We develop solutions for a wide variety of enemy approaches. That’s why we’re now looking forward to a completely different task.
There are areas in our team where we have the potential to develop to meet Werder on an equal footing. In Bremen you will certainly not say that the game is a sure-fire success. Our job is to be at 100 percent tomorrow. I feel a great connection with my team and am enthusiastic about our collaboration. I am firmly convinced that there are some players in our team who have the development potential to be able to play permanently in the first league in Germany.
I’m open and honest: Of course it’s a very special game for me. Werder is the club where I spent a large part of my time as a coach and player. Bremen and Werder are my emotional home. I have wonderful memories of the stadium, both as a spectator and in an active role. I was at the club for almost 20 years and am therefore looking forward to meeting many people with whom I have worked every day for years. My feeling before the game is mixed. On the one hand, it’s a feeling of coming home. I hope that every Darmstadt fan will forgive me. On the other hand, I’m going there with the goal of getting to the cup quarter-finals. I didn’t choreograph the evening. I’ll let it come to me. There can be one or two emotional moments. But I believe these issues will arise after the final whistle. Before that, my full focus is on my team and preparing for the game.
I really like it in Darmstadt and in this environment. A club with a lot of humanity, but also a focus on success. I really value the connection between the city and the fans. I also appreciate working with the team. I am very happy here. I’m exactly where I want to be. We want to be successful together.
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.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.