Our head coach spoke about the important "four-field" (the area between the stands and the goal) and his belief in the team's development ahead of tomorrow's away game at the Betzenberg stadium. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Kaiserslautern (September 5th, 1pm) here.
Player update: In addition to the three long-term injured players Luca Marseiler, Fabian Nürnberger and Merveille Papela, Aleksander Vukotic (suspension) and Fynn Lakenmacher (adductor problems) will not be available next Saturday.
It’s a great away game against a very strong team, and of course, we want to take points from the Betzenberg tomorrow if at all possible. It’s a tough task against a team that plays very man-oriented football, that tries to bring extreme emotions into the game, especially at home – through challenges, through gestures – and does this very well to exploit the stadium and the home advantage. That’s perfectly legitimate. Kaiserslautern usually tries to put a lot of pressure on the opponent very early in the game, defends, as already mentioned, very man-oriented from back to front, and always finds ways to get into man-marking mode. With the ball, they play very quickly to the last line of defense, either with long balls or from the wings. Then, of course, they have a lot of individual quality with many players who can be game-changers in this league.
Willy is making a very good impression. He’s been training with the team, participating in all the training sessions this week, and hasn’t shown any signs of weakness. He’ll also be joining the final training session. Then I’ll decide with him what makes sense, whether he’ll travel with us to Kaiserslautern. He’s certainly not someone who could play 80 or 90 minutes, but perhaps a candidate for a short appearance. We need to discuss that right after the final training session. But he’s already shown what qualities he brings: dynamism, runs in behind, crosses, and excellent physical condition. His tackling was superb. And I’m very happy he’s here.
Before the season, we said: With Paddy, Vuko, Kai, and Hiro, we have four players who are pretty reliable and should provide us with stability. And now, in almost every game, we’ve had issues with these guys. Hiro was sick, Kai was suspended, and now Vuko is suspended. And to be perfectly honest, I’m really longing for that solid foundation to be there week after week. Which was entirely to be expected after the last few years, because none of them were injury-prone, and if they were suspended at all, it was usually late in the season.
Therefore, I’m really looking forward to Kai being available again against Kaiserslautern and hope that we can get this „four-man quartet“ on the pitch together as often as possible, because it guarantees us a certain level of stability.
Our focus is on identifying factors we can influence. And as I mentioned last week, we’re in the midst of a process we’ve planned for ourselves. Fundamentally, regarding performance, teamwork, and mentality—how the lads interact and how they perform on the pitch—we’re not only on a very good path, but we’re further along than I expected at this point. One thing is clear: the group is now in place. This is the group we’ve assembled, and we believe in it. We won’t let ourselves be influenced by issues we ultimately can’t control. What we can influence is how we train and how we plan to try and win a game next weekend. And as I said at the very beginning: this belief is immense.
The draw for the second round of the DFB-Pokal has taken place: SV Darmstadt 98 will play away at SV Elversberg. This was the result of the draw held at the German Football Museum on Saturday evening (September 5th), featuring "draw master" Bastian Schweinsteiger and broadcast live on ARD's Sportschau.
A solid first half, including a missed penalty and a bitter goal just before the halftime whistle. And a second half that left everyone involved fuming afterward. In the end, a deserved defeat was recorded, and the Darmstadt players were correspondingly self-critical. Here are the reactions to the 3 - 0 loss at 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Darmstadt 98 will return to southern Hesse empty-handed: 1. FC Kaiserslautern secured a 3-0 (1-0) victory on Saturday afternoon. Sauer (43') scored from close range just before halftime, and in the 64th minute, the Red Devils added another through Tazemeta. Berisha then sealed the win in stoppage time (90+4). Darmstadt 98 remain on just one point after four matchdays this season.
Darmstadt 98 travel to Betzenberg for their fourth matchday away at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the Hannover 96 game. Kai Klefisch returns to the starting eleven after serving his suspension, with Nicolas Verkooijen initially taking a place on the bench. Yannik Lührs replaces the suspended Aleksandar Vukotic, while Lars Kehl comes in for Yosuke Furukawa. It will be the first start for both players. William Mikelbrencis is in the squad for the first time, while Manolo Merx is unavailable due to illness.
Up to the Betzenberg! On Saturday (September 5th/1pm), SV 98 will be playing away against FC Kaiserslautern as part of Matchday 4. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Kaiserslautern for you in our "Matchday Guide".
Commitment to sports, respectful interaction, and joint efforts for a better Darmstadt. All the values that SV Darmstadt 98 strives to embody, and which the Martinsviertel Boxing Club is also meant to symbolise, came together on Thursday evening (September 3rd). At the Boxing Club's open house, which also marked the launch of a joint project between SV 98, the independent organisation Rope e.V., and the Darmstadt Youth Services, the foundation was laid for a new sports program in the Martinsviertel district.
For 1. FC Kaiserslautern, sporting tragedy and triumph were separated by just seven days in May 1996. On May 18th, after a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen, the club’s first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga was confirmed. After 33 years of uninterrupted top-flight football, the Red Devils had to make the drop to the second division. But just one week later, the chance for a conciliatory end to the season presented itself at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. FCK seized it. With a 1-0 victory against Karlsruher SC, Kaiserslautern won the DFB Cup for the second time, after their first title in 1990.
On Saturday (September 5th), Darmstadt will travel to Kaiserslautern for their fourth matchday fixture. Their historical record against Kaiserslautern couldn't be more balanced: five wins, five draws, and five losses. All the other facts and figures surrounding the match can be found here.
A premiere for SV 98. The Lilies have played their first match in the "Bundesliga Talent Series". In the newly introduced additional U21 competition, the team from southern Hesse drew 3-3 (2-1) with SV Elversberg despite trailing at the break.
On Saturday afternoon (September 5th, 1pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will play away against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. This report provides you with all the important information for your visit to the stadium. For Darmstadt fans who decide to attend at the last minute: There will be a ticket office for the away section (more information below).
The train, the train, the train has no brakes! At least musically – because our relief train to Kaiserslautern really picks up speed on Saturday (September 5th). We also look back at the official inauguration of Jonathan-Heimes-Platz and get ready for the opening of the Martinsviertel Boxing Club. As usual, in "Lilies Across the Board" you'll find all the news and stories from the club life of SV Darmstadt 98.
