In the run-up to the home game against Eintracht Braunschweig (September 14th/1pm), Florian Kohfeldt answered questions from the journalists present on Thursday (September 12th). How did the first week as head coach of the Lilies go? How great is the anticipation for its premiere at the Bölle? And how does he view the upcoming opponent? We have summarised the most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Paul Will, Matthias Bader and Fabian Holland are missing with cruciate ligament injuries, and Oscar Vilhelmsson is still out with adductor problems.
Of course you don’t want someone seriously injured in the first week. This is tragic, especially for the players. Otherwise, my impression is entirely positive, especially of the team. We had three very intensive sessions. By that I don’t mean that we just walked. We tried to bring a lot of tactical things and game principles into the team. I am also very satisfied with the learning progress. There was a small moment on Tuesday afternoon when we realised that we shouldn’t give any more input because otherwise we might overwhelm the team. But it was important for us to find this point.
The week in the coaching team was also very good. They were intense and long days, we already know where the light switches are (laughs). The support from the staff is great and I also like how they dealt with the injuries because everyone stayed calm and solution-oriented and didn’t panic. We will bring a competitive team onto the pitch on Saturday.
The final talks are scheduled today, then I spoke to all the players. Except for the injured. I received a consistently positive impression from the discussions. It was important to me to get an idea of the team in these individual discussions. Team structure, team chemistry and belief in yourself are there. And then I tried to unite the team behind a little idea of how we would like to play football together. We were not able to shed light on every facet. The main topics were how we could find certain spaces in depth as quickly as possible offensively and how we would behave against the ball in the basic order.
I’ve already tried to distribute roles within the team. For a certain structure. It’s not just about leadership roles. Every player is important. That may be a platitude, but it is true. Each player received an assessment from me as to where I currently see him in this team. It’s also about players who should form an axis. It’s about role players who will have their moments and about players who should develop into a different role over the course of the season. I also tried to convey this in the individual discussions.
Of course, both players would most likely have been in the starting line-up. But as a coach you have to be able to deal with it when there are injuries. We have ideas on how we can deal with this. We have a high number of players, especially in central midfield. There are different options on the right track, but my first thought is: complete trust in Sergio Lopez.
Braunschweig has a lot of speed in the last line paired with new signing Polter, who brings great physicality. They are very good at switching offensively and also have a playful approach, but are not above playing the ball deep under pressure. They are also very strong at offensive set pieces. During the start-up behavior they change a little in height, so there is no completely clear picture. A very experienced team awaits us.
I’m really looking forward to Saturday. I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, the tingling sensation and the feeling of what we’re doing this for. I have never found this feeling anywhere else in my life. Standing in the tunnel, going out and then facing the demands that await you in a game like this. And I’m looking forward to seeing the fans in the stadium for the first time.
Basically, I’m happy when something is at stake. If you’re afraid of competition, then you’re in the wrong place in professional football. But we’re still very early in the season, so I don’t want to talk about a relegation duel. It is of course an important game for both teams, who want to correct their previous start a little. But I don’t want to hang the game too high for the course of the entire season. But it is an important indication of what we have worked on this week.
After 13 unbeaten second-division matches, SV Darmstadt 98 suffered their first defeat this Friday evening. Three unfortunate minutes just before halftime, during which Patric Pfeiffer was sent off and Vincent Vermeij scored twice, paved the way for Dresden's victory. After the match, the focus was primarily on the differing assessments of two very similar incidents by the refereeing team – incidents which both coaches subsequently evaluated identically.
For the first time since October, Darmstadt 98 finished a league match without any points: SV 98 lost 3-1 (2-0) to SG Dynamo Dresden. After a controversial red card against Patric Pfeiffer (42nd minute), the home side scored two goals in first-half stoppage time to secure the victory.
Under the floodlights at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadium. On Friday evening (February 27th/6:30pm), Darmstadt 98 will play away against Dynamo Dresden. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven. Raoul Petretta makes his first start, replacing Fabian Holland. Luca Marseiler starts in place of the suspended Marco Richter, and Hiroki Akiyama replaces Fraser Hornby, who is sidelined with a thigh injury. Fabian Nürnberger, Matthias Bader, and Bartosz Bialek remain unavailable due to injury.
A floodlit match at the Rudolf-Haribig-Stadion is always something special. Darmstadt 98 are aiming to take three points back to southern Hesse this Friday evening (February 27th). Kick-off is at 6:30pm. All the important information about the 24th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga is clearly summarised for you in our "Matchday Guide".
Darmstadt 98 aim to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in Friday evening's match against Dynamo Dresden. While Darmstadt's potent attack has resulted in a respectable goal tally, they are wary at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. The Saxons have been on an upward trend since the winter break and will have a vociferous home crowd behind them. We've compiled all the facts and figures surrounding this clash in this report. Here you'll find the key facts for tomorrow's match.
Darmstadt and Dresden are 598 kilometres apart. On Friday evening (February 27th, 6:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will travel to the Saxon capital for the 24th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga. The next away game will take place under the floodlights at the historic Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. You can find all relevant fan information here.
Before SV Darmstadt 98 plays under floodlights in Dresden on Friday evening (27.02/18.30), Florian Kohfeldt spoke at the press conference about the strengths of Dynamo Dresden and the special atmosphere in the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
Raoul Petretta joined SV Darmstadt 98 in the winter and already feels very much at home. He talks about his arrival and his goals. Besides their sporting focus, the Lilies are also committed to sustainability: On March 15, 2026, over 3,500 trees will be planted as part of the fifth "In the Sign of the Lily" tree-planting campaign. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
Numerous Dynamo Dresden fans flock to the stadium on home match days. But one day, they came for a single reason: What should their stadium be called in the future? Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in front of the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, ready to cast their votes. In cooperation with regional partners, Dynamo Dresden's management took the unusual step of letting the club's supporters decide for themselves.
WirLilien – Together for nature conservation! Together with our partner Krombacher, we will once again plant more than 3,500 trees on Sunday (March 15th) – under the banner of the Lily. You can still register for the event at short notice.
On Friday (February 27th, 7:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team begins the second phase of their Hessenliga season. With 23 points after 20 matchdays, the Lilies are currently in 14th place. Following intensive weeks of winter training, the team aims to start the upcoming challenges with renewed energy and secure crucial points.
A fast-paced, thrilling exchange between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf reached its ecstatic climax in the 88th minute. Thanks to Matej Maglica's header, Darmstadt secured a 2-1 victory in a wild battle that resembled a 12-round boxing match, with both sides neglecting their defences and constantly searching for the next hook or punch. A day later, sv98.de looks back on what was probably the most exciting home game of the season so far for the South Hessian side.