Opposition Check – Karlsruher (A)

As a result, kick-off was postponed ten minutes later. And the Karlsruhe team didn’t get off to a good start and were already 3-0 behind after just a quarter of an hour. But what followed was an incredible comeback by head coach Christian Eichner’s team. Initially the KSC was still 2:4 behind at the break, but in the end the Karlsruhe team fought for an impressive 4:4. A remarkable comeback from a team that is already one of the top teams in the 2nd Bundesliga this season: Karlsruher SC is undefeated and in third place in the table with 15 points collected. We’ll take a closer look at SV Darmstadt 98’s upcoming opponent before the duel on Friday evening (October 4th/6:30pm).

When it comes to the organisation of the game on Friday, Christian Eichner will probably no longer want to have a say. Last weekend, while traveling by bus to the away game in Cologne, something that wasn’t supposed to happen happened to Karlsruher SC. Due to a traffic jam, the players had to walk together to the Rhein-Energie Stadium, which is why kick-off was postponed by ten minutes. “That was a mistake in the planning, I take responsibility for that,” admitted Eichner at the press conference after the game.

Review. The former full-back has been a Karlsruher through and through since his youth. He started his active professional career there in the U17. He then moved on from the second team up to the professional squad – he has 137 competitive games for Karlsruhe on his CV. In total, Eichner played 139 games in the Bundesliga, which he played for KSC, 1. FC Köln and Hoffenheim. However, due to a meniscus injury, his playing career ended in January 2015. Apparently he couldn’t do it without professional sport. A year later, the Sinsheimer started his career as a coach at Karlsruher SC in the U17 and was promoted to assistant coach for the professionals the following year. He took on the role of head coach on an interim basis for the first time in 2017. In 2020 it was Baden’s permanent solution, which has lasted ever since and promises success.

The showpiece of Karlsruher SC? The Wildpark Stadium. The KSC home ground has been an impregnable fortress to date – three home games, three home wins. The Baden team also impresses with their goal threat. Because 16 goals this season are currently only topped by 1. FC Köln (18). With Budu Zivzivadze, the Karlsruhe team also has the best goalscorer of the current second division season in their squad – the Georgian has scored six goals to date and he currently shares first place in the top scorer list with Moussa Sylla from FC Schalke 04.

The SV Darmstadt 98 defense will have to pay particular attention to one player in the away game in Karlsruhe; Budu Zivzivadze is currently in impressive form. Last year, the striker was able to put the ball in the opponent’s goal twelve times in 31 games. This season there are already seven goals in eight competitive games. The 30-year-old played really well in the opening game against 1.FC Nürnberg. After a 0-2 deficit, the offensive player single-handedly turned the game around. As he says, “of course the hat-trick gave me self-confidence.” He showed that in the following games, scoring the late winning goal against Eintracht Braunschweig and both goals in the clash with FC Schalke 04. At 50 percent of all KSC goals in the current second division season, the attacker was directly involved.

Zivzivadze has now appeared 30 times in the national team jersey for his home country of Georgia and has eight international goals. One of his biggest career highlights was probably the nomination of national coach Willy Sagnol for the 2024 European Championships in Germany. The 1.89 meter tall attacker came on as a substitute in the 85th minute in the opening game against Turkey. He only received his second European Championship appearance later in the tournament, in the surprising round of 16 against eventual European champions Spain.