Unmistakably, he glides elegantly across the sky. And when he’s not soaring through the air, he perches atop his nest, which can be up to two metres in diameter. His predominantly white plumage defines his appearance. His red beak and legs provide a striking contrast. We’re talking, of course, about the stork.
These colours were long reflected in football as well. Holstein Kiel, also known as the „Storks,“ used to play in white jerseys and shorts with red socks – an appearance strongly reminiscent of the bird they were named after. Today, the color scheme is slightly different, but the nickname remains.
The team from northern Germany currently sits in 15th place in the table. Before the last matchday, they had gone four consecutive second-division games without a win. But then there was a change in the coaching position. New coach = fresh start? Tim Walter was back on the sidelines for Kiel last weekend, having previously coached KSV Holstein Kiel in the 2018/19 season.
In his Kiel comeback, SV Elversberg visited the Holstein Stadium, and the Storks immediately secured their first point against the fourth-placed team. The Storks intend to use this momentum to establish themselves above the relegation zone.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| David Zec – 5 Goals | Alexander Bernhardsson – 6 Assists |
| Phil Harres – 4 Goals | Phil Harres – 2 Assists |
| Ivan Nekic – 2 Goals | John Tolkin – 2 Assists |
| Alexander Bernhardsson – 2 Goals | Niklas Niehoff – 2 Assists |
| Jonas Therkelsen – 2 Goals | Adrian Kapralik – 1 Assists |
Tim Walter
Head coach of Holstein KielThe league is a marathon, not a sprint, or so the old football adage goes. Kiel players cover an average of around 122 kilometres per game. Only Arminia Bielefeld and Dynamo Dresden cover more distance. The Storks also rank highly in terms of high-intensity runs per game: with 721 runs, they are third in the league, surpassed only by Schalke and Bielefeld. The KSV players not only cover great distances, but also frequently push themselves to their limits.
Comeback qualities can be crucial in the relegation battle. One Kiel player exemplifies this: Alexander Bernhardsson. The attacking midfielder unfortunately missed eleven games due to foot problems. Last weekend, fans in the Kiel stands breathed a sigh of relief: In the 71st minute, „Berra,“ as he is also known, finally made his return, ending his three-month absence. Although he left the pitch without scoring, he boosted the team’s belief in staying in the league. On his immediate return, Holstein Kiel secured a point against the top team from Elversberg.
The Swede is under contract in Kiel, his first club outside his home country. He joined the Storks at the beginning of 2024 and is currently experiencing the peak of his career. The Swedish national team only really took notice of the 27-year-old during his time at KSV Holstein Kiel. At what is statistically the prime age for a footballer, he doesn’t just want to be a promising talent, but also a key player in the hunt for goals.
Although he’s just returned from injury, Kiel’s number eleven, with eight scorer points in 15 matches, is still the Stork’s most offensively potent player. How many minutes he’ll be able to play against SV Darmstadt 98 on Saturday afternoon remains to be seen. It’s clear, however, that he can be dangerous even with just a few minutes on the pitch. It’s no coincidence that Darmstadt’s head coach already stated before the first leg that Bernhardsson „is one of the top players in the league.“
We fought together. We celebrated together. We scored points together and celebrated spectacular football festivals. This season, our Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor has once again become a true blue and white fortress. We were on the pitch, and you were in the stands. In 13 home games, we remained undefeated 13 times. Let's keep it that way in the final stretch of the season!
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team suffered a 4-1 defeat at home against FC Gießen on Sunday. The team, currently twelfth in the table, hosted the favoured visitors, who secured third place with this victory.
Strengthening vocational training and further education in southern Hesse: To this end, the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt) and SV Darmstadt 98 have entered into a cooperation agreement. IHK Managing Director Robert Lippmann and Martin Kowalewski, Managing Director for Marketing and Sales at SV Darmstadt 98, signed the corresponding cooperation agreement at the Böllenfalltor stadium.
Darmstadt 98 remain unbeaten in their 13th home game of the season with a 2-0 victory against Holstein Kiel. An early red card played into Darmstadt's hands in the match against the "Storks." As the game progressed, the team from southern Hesse took complete control, securing a comfortable win and celebrating Isac Lidberg's 13th goal of the season and Niklas Schmidt's first goal for Darmstadt. Analysis of the home victory follows.
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.
A fast-paced start, a disjointed first half after Marcus Müller's sending-off. However, Darmstadt showed a different side at the start of the second half. After an early double strike in the second half from goals by Isac Lidberg and Niklas Schmidt, the team from southern Hesse cruised to a comfortable home victory.
Matches at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor continue to inspire Darmstadt to top performances! The home side deservedly defeated Holstein Kiel 2-0 (0-0), securing their seventh consecutive home win. After a difficult first half, the team from southern Hesse came out strong after the break: Lidberg (48th minute) and Schmidt (52nd minute) put their team on the path to victory early in the second half. Darmstadt now boasts 52 points after 25 matchdays.
Matchday 25 of the 2. Bundesliga is upon us. Darmstadt 98 host Holstein Kiel at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven compared to the defeat in Dresden. Aleksandar Vukotić replaces the suspended Patric Pfeiffer in central defence, Merveille Papela comes in for Raoul Petretta, and Marco Richter starts in place of Killian Corredor, who is unavailable due to a knock sustained in the Dresden match. Fabian Nürnberger, Matthias Bader, Bartosz Bialek, and Fraser Hornby remain sidelined with injuries.
Darmstadt 98 are aiming for their seventh consecutive home win in their match against Holstein Kiel on Saturday afternoon (March 7th, 1pm) at the Merck Stadium am Böllenfalltor. Find all the important information about Matchday 25 in our "Matchday Guide" overview.
Although a winning streak has come to an end in Dresden, the current home winning streak needs to be continued against Kiel. Tim Walter, the familiar yet new face on the Kiel coaching bench, is bringing a breath of fresh air to the North German side. All the facts and figures about the match between SV Darmstadt 98 and Holstein Kiel are compiled here for you. Here you'll find the key facts for Saturday's game.
On Saturday (07.03/1pm) SV Darmstadt 98 will host the team from Holstein Kiel and asks you to take note of the following information.
What kind of opponent can Darmstadt expect from Holstein Kiel? What lessons has SV Darmstadt 98 learned from their defeat against Dresden? And what will be crucial on Saturday afternoon (March 7th/1 pm)? Head coach Florian Kohfeldt answered these and other questions at the press conference on Thursday (March 5th). We've summarised the most important statements from our head coach's press conference for you.