Mediterranean & Team spirit

Having just arrived at the training camp at the Hotel Parador de El Saler, the team first went to lunch and then straight to the pitch for their first session. Afterwards, it was back to the hotel to relax. The chilly eight degrees Celsius with wind and rain last Sunday (January 5th) wasn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser. Marcel Schuhen, however, had a completely different idea. Taking advantage of the short distances within the complex, he headed to the beach and promptly jumped into the Mediterranean Sea, which is quite cold for this time of year. But it was perfect for recovery: „The cold seawater with its salt content is even a bit healthier than a regular ice bath, as everyone knows,“ grinned the Darmstadt captain during a media briefing on the day of arrival.

Due to illness, Matej Maglica was unable to attend the start of training on January 3rd and therefore couldn’t board the plane the following day. However, he has now recovered and was able to join the team on Tuesday.

He arrived at the hotel’s dining room with a smile. Today he’s training individually on the pitch. „He won’t be going from zero to 100 right away. But he’s feeling well and will ease back into it,“ said Fabian Holland, pleased with the Croatian’s arrival. Welcome, Matej!

Marcel Schuhen already missed him at training camp. Fabian Holland missed the last three pre-season camps due to illness or injury. Now he’s finally back, which is important not only for the team but especially for Schuhen. After all, the two have been roommates at training camp for many years. „Fabi left me a bit on my own,“ said the Darmstadt captain with a smile. They’ve shared a long history together. For the SV 98 goalkeeper, Holland is „an extremely important part of the group,“ who made it easy for him to integrate into the team when he first joined.

When evening arrives, it usually means the players have no more appointments. Everyone can then manage their time as they wish. „Of course, we also use the time off the pitch to do things together,“ Fabian Holland explained in a media briefing on Wednesday (January 7th). A particular favourite is the card game „Wizard,“ which has become a regular fixture in the evening plans of the Darmstadt professionals at their training camp. „Over the years, Schuh has won the most,“ Holland admitted. But he’s also the type of guy who’s ambitious even in the smallest games and can’t stand losing. „That’s just his character,“ Holland added. Such evenings together strengthen the team spirit. Holland said it’s great to see everyone enjoying themselves. And what about his own ambition? Holland is probably too much of a professional for that: „When you’re playing games like that, of course you want to win.“

Sergio López was probably one of the players who traveled the most during the Christmas season of 2025. The holiday „Día de los Reyes Magos“ (Three Kings‘ Day) on January 6th is a particularly important day in Spain, as it’s traditionally when presents are exchanged. Since López has always trained on this day for years, usually at a training camp, he can’t spend it with his family. Therefore, his Christmas celebrations are moved forward to December 25th. For him, this also means that at the beginning of the winter break, he first traveled to Spain to enjoy Christmas with his family. After New Year’s, he returned to Darmstadt for the start of training, before flying back to Spain for another training camp shortly afterward. Then it’s back to Germany, where everyday life resumes. But for family man and professional footballer López, this isn’t a problem.