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.
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.