Ahead of the next floodlit match at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, Florian Kohfeldt talks about his international players, Greuther Fürth's development, and the recent international break. On Saturday (November 22nd, 8:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 hosts SpVgg Greuther Fürth. We've summarised the most important information from the pre-match press conference for you.
Personnel update: Matej Maglica is doubtful due to the thigh injury sustained in the Hannover match. Fabian Nürnberger has returned to team training and is a candidate for the squad.
We focused a lot on football training during the first week because we decided against playing a friendly match. Last week, we had a particularly strong session on Thursday, which really shows the team’s spirit. They’re training at their limit, regardless of whether there’s a game at the weekend or not. The players then had the weekend off. The coaching staff also had time off, but they used it to prepare for the winter training camp, running plans, and so on. This week we’ve been working very hard. The first two days were very physical, and today we’re starting our tactical preparations for Fürth.
Fabian Nürnberger is a strong contender for the squad and has been training superbly. He hasn’t had any setbacks in his rehab. I wouldn’t rule out him being a starter, but Fabian Holland has been doing very well in recent weeks.
Matej Maglica remains doubtful. We’ll try him out in tomorrow’s final training session and then decide. It will either be against Fürth or Elversberg, but it won’t be long before he’s available.
Isac Lidberg played the full 90 minutes for Sweden for the first time and is slowly establishing himself in the starting lineup, despite the abundance of top strikers Sweden has. He’s doing very well, and we can confirm that after the initial examinations. Therefore, he will start against Fürth.
Djanga won’t arrive until tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, there’s no other way. Consequently, he’s very unlikely to be available for the match, as he’ll only arrive about 24 hours before kickoff. That’s the issue with international players from overseas. But we’re not complaining; other clubs have the same situation.
I can only speak positively about his development. Hiro was technically sound on the ball and extremely intelligent on the pitch from day one. He integrated into the team at breakneck speed, despite not having the opportunity to communicate naturally through language. He’s a very open and inquisitive guy. He’s increasingly managing to combine the physical attributes you need in Germany with his technical skills. That’s an extraordinary development. He’s matured into an absolute regular starter in a very short time.
We’re really looking forward to it. Playing on a Saturday night is something special. It’s the only match in German professional football that takes place at that time. Whether that has anything to do with its increased prestige, I don’t know. We get on the bus with great excitement on Saturday nights and drive to the Böllenfalltor stadium. We think it’s great, we love the atmosphere. With Schalke in the cup and then Karlsruhe in two weeks, it’s our fourth consecutive home game on a Saturday night. You can get used to it, it’s fun.
This is a team that started the season playing with a clear system. They delivered some incredibly spectacular performances. Towards the end of this initial phase, they couldn’t maintain that consistency and suffered some heavy defeats. Then they changed their system. In recent matches, they’ve been playing with a back three and are now achieving significantly better results. They won very late against Münster, but deservedly so.
They have a style of play that defends aggressively and quickly engages in man-to-man challenges. Offensively, they also possess a lot of individual quality. They often attack with direct, quick runs in behind. With Futkeu, Hrgota, and Klaus, they have at least three players who can decide a game on their own. Therefore, they are difficult to assess. However, their performance is clearly trending upwards.
I expect us to have more possession, but I have great respect for their individual quality. I believe Thomas Kleine has drawn the right conclusions from the recent matches. We are very wary and have great respect for them.
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: