A floodlit evening at Bielefeld's Alm stadium. The date is May 19, 2014: The atmosphere is electric, Arminia Bielefeld the clear favourite – especially after their 3-1 victory in the first leg of the relegation play-off. Darmstadt 98, accordingly, the massive underdog. And yet, on this evening, SV 98 makes both Lilies and football history. After 120 minutes, a spectacular 4-2 scoreline is displayed on the scoreboard. Darmstadt is promoted, Bielefeld is relegated. And a Darmstadt motto becomes legendary: "You have to fight. Nothing is lost yet."
Despite the disappointment, Arminia Bielefeld reacted with remarkable unity. Relegation triggered a wave of support in Bielefeld and the entire region. Within just a few days, the club experienced a huge increase in membership. The sense of community in East Westphalia remained unbroken.
Arminia entered the 2014/15 season with a significantly changed squad. Under coach Norbert Meier, the team played a convincing first half of the season but finished the first half of the season in a non-promotion position. The team continued their strong performance in the second half of the season and climbed to the top of the table. On the penultimate matchday, they secured immediate promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga. A 2-2 draw at home against Jahn Regensburg was enough to seal their return to the second division.
Arminia Bielefeld started the current season as a newly promoted second-division team, having reached the DFB Cup final last season as a third-division side. After ten matchdays in the second division, Arminia sits in a strong ninth place with 13 points. Now, the two teams meet again. May 19, 2014, seems like a long time ago, but it still evokes goosebumps and provides motivation.
We’ve analysed this weekend’s opponent for you in our opponent check.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Joel Grodowski – 5 Goals | Mael Corboz – 3 Assists |
| Isaiah Young – 2 Goals | Monju Momuluh – 3 Assists |
| Joel Felix – 2 Goals | Joel Grodowski – 2 Assists |
| Noah Sarenren Bazee – 2 Goals | Marvin Mehlem – 2 Assists |
| Tim Handwerker – 2 Goals | Christopher Lannert – 2 Assists |
Michél "Mitch" Kniat
Head coach at Arminia BielefeldIntensity. Bielefeld sets the standard in this category: With 7,732 high-intensity runs, Arminia Bielefeld are unchallenged at the top of the statistics. An impressive testament to the team’s endurance and tireless commitment. Schalke follows closely behind with 7,158, and Kiel with 7,094 – strong figures, but still not quite matching Bielefeld’s intensity. For Darmstadt, this means they must prepare for an intense match.
It’s a Sunday morning in the 2016/17 season, somewhere on a dusty pitch in the Kreisliga A (eighth tier of German football). The lines on the field are barely visible, the goalposts rattle with every shot, and the stands consist of just a few benches along the sidelines. A striker is running onto the pitch – his name is Joel Grodowski. With every step, you can feel his indomitable will; with every shot, his precision. Among most of the players in this league, who simply play for fun, Grodowski immediately stands out. But how does a centre forward from the Kreisliga make it to professional football? And in just a few years, no less?
Joel Grodowski began his football career in the youth academies of Schalke 04, Rot Weiss Ahlen, and VfB Waltrop. In 2017, however, he was still playing in the Kreisliga A for PSV Bork. There he revealed his goal-scoring prowess: In the 2016/17 season, he scored an incredible 53 goals in just 30 games – a number that made him one of the most striking talents in the region in the amateur sector.
His performances did not go unnoticed, and in 2017 Grodowski took the plunge and moved abroad to Bradford City in the English League One, the third tier of German football. Although his playing time was limited, this move marked his transition from amateur to professional football. After a year in England, he returned to Germany and joined Hammer SpVg in the Oberliga Westfalen (fifth tier). There, he confirmed his goalscoring prowess with 15 goals in 28 games and continued his steady progress. In 2019, Grodowski transferred to Preußen Münster. Initially playing in the Regionalliga West (fourth tier), and later in the 3. Liga (third tier), he developed into a key player for the team. His goals were crucial in helping Preußen Münster consistently stay within striking distance of the top of the table.
Present day. Now he plays in the 2nd Bundesliga for Arminia Bielefeld and, with his five goals this season, has already done a lot for the newly promoted team. Nevertheless, he fondly remembers his time in the Kreisliga (district league): „That time is still very present. I haven’t played there for a while now, but the Kreisliga still holds a special place in my heart. I still really enjoy watching the games. Some of my old friends are still playing for PSV Bork. Every now and then I’ve wondered what would have happened if I had gone through a youth academy. But perhaps it’s precisely my time in the Kreisliga that makes me stand out as a player,“ he said in an interview with the DFB (German Football Association). His extraordinary development from a Kreisliga player to a key performer in professional football shows that talent, combined with perseverance and hard work, can pave the way to professional football even from the lowest leagues.
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.
For every home goal scored by the Lilies, SV Darmstadt 98 fans will be doubly rewarded in the 2025/26 season. In addition to the joy and excitement, the Lilies' supporters will also receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor.
In an intense 90 minutes between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Lilies fought back to secure three points shortly before the final whistle. The early lead taken by the team from southern Hesse was quickly erased by the Rhinelanders. The match became increasingly wild and physical. The second half remained evenly contested, but in the end, SV 98 once again demonstrated their fighting spirit: Matej Maglica's late header sealed the three points. What do the players and the two head coaches have to say about this thrilling encounter? We've compiled all the post-match reactions.
SV Darmstadt 98 remain a force to be reckoned with at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor! The Lilies defeated Fortuna Düsseldorf 2-1 (1-1) on matchday 23. It's their sixth consecutive home win, bringing their total to 45 points. Hornby opened the scoring for the home side after just seven minutes, before Maglica (88th minute) netted the decisive goal in the second half.