What's the competition like within the team? How does Florian Kohfeldt assess 1. FC Nürnberg ahead of their upcoming clash on Friday (August 8th at 6:30 p.m.)? The head coach answered these and other questions at the press conference on Thursday (August 7th). We've summarised the most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Paul Will is still unavailable. Sergio Lopez is also sidelined due to back problems.
There was a lot of fire and intensity in today’s final training session. The guys who didn’t play on the first matchday are pushing hard, and that’s how it should be. It’s very pleasing for me, and for the team as well, because it keeps the quality of training very high. We have a lot of competition, and yet I feel like the team was close. When training is over, all the players are on good terms with each other. But on the pitch, it’s all about the action, that’s how it should be.
A big club awaits us – with a great tradition and a passionate fan base. It’s always nice to play in Nürnberg because you immediately feel how deeply rooted the club is in the city and what it means to the people there.
Miroslav Klose and his team are pursuing a playing approach that was already evident last season. They generally don’t play in rigid positions, but rather create targeted interdependencies through possession. The game is characterised by many one-twos, positional changes, and rotations – embedded in a structure with clear anchor points.
Up front, Stepanov is a very powerful striker who serves as a target player. I remember Biron from the Belgian league – a strong dribbler with a lot of pace. In defence, Robin Knoche brings stability as an experienced central defender, and Justvan, one of the league’s most creative players, plays in the number 10 position.
Nürnberg has a strong core of second-division quality, centered around a host of talented young players. They play confidently and with clear attacking skills. When they’re out of possession, they’re also not afraid to defend in a deeper zone.
Talking always makes sense – the question is just when and at what point. I think team leadership is an important topic, and we have a clear line about when we communicate, who’s in the squad and who’s playing. The human element of our interactions always remains the same – regardless of the decision. Not only the head coach plays a role in this, but also the coaching staff, assistant coaches, physiotherapists, and the team manager. Decisions should always be clear and understandable – and communicated in the same way. I’m pleased with the current sense of competition and the strong team spirit within the team.
Nobody will ever believe me, but Vuko is the nicest person in the dressing room. He’s a very sociable, likeable person with great empathy. As a character, he’s truly remarkable. Football-wise, he has tremendous power in the air and is an uncompromising defender. He made tremendous progress with the ball last season. What I particularly appreciate about him is his desire to constantly develop and learn new things. Vuko is an absolute leader and a key player in our team.
I didn’t think our opening play in the game against Bochum was optimal. While we played very well and directly into the ten-yard box, our opening play, especially in the back line, could have been improved. We also need to be more vigilant in the rest of the defence after losing the ball. Our pressing, on the other hand, was very strong throughout the game, and we created the most big chances in the entire league on that matchday. The four goals we scored were absolutely deserved.
Our absolute focus is on tomorrow’s match against Nürnberg. On Saturday, we’ll give the players who haven’t played many minutes so far the chance to get some good match practice against a third-division team. It’s entirely possible that one or two of those in the squad against Nuremberg will also be there on Saturday – assuming they haven’t played much. Basically, though, the goal is to give specific minutes to those who haven’t played much due to injury or availability. It’s especially important right now that all the players get enough playing time, because I’m absolutely certain we’ll need every single player over the course of the season.
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.