How excited are the fans for the last game of the year? What makes SC Paderborn so strong? And what about SV Darmstadt 98's focus? Florian Kohfeldt answered these and other questions on Thursday (December 18th) ahead of the Lilies' match in East Westphalia (December 19th/6:30pm). We've compiled the most important statements from our head coach's press conference for you.
Personnel update: All players are available.
We’re really looking forward to Paderborn. Not because we’re looking at the league table, but because I’ve noticed since Sunday’s final whistle against Münster that the team is incredibly eager to play this game. It will be a challenging match against a very good team. We’re going to Paderborn with the feeling that we’ll get our chances. We have a full squad to choose from. We’ve also been training well. I would even say that we trained exceptionally well today, especially in our final training session. We’re looking forward to a top-class match against one of the league’s top teams. We want to deliver another excellent performance and, ideally, take all three points home.
Paderborn had the longest winning streak this season, winning eight games in a row at one point. They have a lot of self-confidence – especially at home. Their style of play is characterised by a mix of a possession-based approach and a lot of long, deep balls with frequent switches of play. This makes them very difficult to press. They have excellent defensive organization and are very compact. They also have many young players with high individual quality. Paderborn has a home game on Friday and gained a lot of confidence in Karlsruhe. They’ll have high ambitions. I think it will be a pretty exciting match.
I haven’t given any thought to Christmas or the winter break because my focus is solely on Paderborn. Therefore, I won’t be drawing any conclusions about the first half of the season yet. We’re only concentrating on what’s coming up, and that’s the game on Friday in Paderborn. What’s characterised us in the first half of the season since day one is that we’ve focused only on the games and have been fully present in 99 percent of cases. We have great respect for Paderborn, but we’re full of energy that we want to show on Friday.
With Fraser, we could have taken a big risk against Münster. However, we decided to give him a normal week of training. He had a good week and is in my considerations for the starting eleven. Whether he’ll be ready for 90 minutes, I don’t know. The fact that Fraser and Fabian Nürnberger are back is very important overall. Nevertheless, we’ve shown in recent weeks that we can find other solutions. The fundamental DNA of our team is the high and aggressive pressing, which we’ve implemented for a very high percentage of playing time this season. Having both of them back expands our options.
Not many games were truly in doubt in recent weeks; we just didn’t have a comfortable lead in them. If there’s one thing we need to discuss in recent weeks, it’s our efficiency. Just one goal against Münster and only three against Karlsruhe were insufficient considering the chances we created. That’s why the games looked closer in the end than they actually were. Overall, though, we’ve developed a certain composure, allowing us to see out close games calmly and without panicking.
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: