Opposition Check: Karlsruher SC

The KSC shines not only on the pitch, but especially in the boxing ring. When the action is fast and furious, a Karlsruhe boxer usually triumphs – at least that’s what the impressive trophy case suggests: 27 German championships and over 160 Baden championship titles are among the KSC boxers‘ achievements.

But the KSC’s success isn’t limited to the ring; they also know where to land their shots in darts. In 2023, they not only celebrated the national darts title, but also successfully defended it the following year. The Baden track and field athletes have amassed titles on an even grander scale. From the 1920s to the 1960s, they won German championships, Olympic medals in Rome, and set world records. The KSC is thus historically and currently very well represented in grassroots sports. But let’s now turn our attention back to the football stadium and the current form of the Baden team.

Sitting in ninth place with 40 points, the club from the Wildparkstadion no longer has to fear relegation, and there’s no chance of moving up the table either. In their last five matches, KSC faced three of the top five teams and lost every one. However, unlike Darmstadt, Eichner’s team managed clear victories against Fürth and Bielefeld. Overall, they have earned six points from their last five games.

A person is born every eight seconds, a ray of sunlight reaches the Earth every eight minutes, and KSC scores every eight shots on goal. That’s pure efficiency and a top statistic in the second division – shared with SV 98. But Eichner’s team isn’t just succeeding according to the motto „better now than later,“ they’re even exceeding statistical expectations. With an xGoals value of 41, they’re outperforming their own season average by seven goals; only Greuther Fürth can match that in the league.

20th minute. A through ball. He whips down the left flank on his way to the Magdeburg goal, cuts across the players‘ paths, moves into the middle, and, surrounded by three defenders, curls the ball into the top left corner for a 1-0 lead for KSC.

53rd minute. A misplaced pass from KSC, easy pickings for the Magdeburg defence. But one player reacts quicker, intercepts, turns, and from 16 metres, he curls the ball into the top corner again – 2-0 for Karlsruhe. Louey Ben Farhat not only knows where the goal is, but also where the keeper can’t reach it. And when he scores, he scores beautifully, really beautifully. As Ben Farhat impressively demonstrated with his brace against FCM. What’s more, whenever the 19-year-old has scored this season, KSC has always earned points. But his season hasn’t been quite that simple.

The 19-year-old suffered a metatarsal fracture on the third matchday, forcing him to the bench until the 18th matchday. But he’s back, and not just in Karlsruhe. The Waiblingen native, who plays as a second striker for KSC, also represents the Tunisian national team. He featured in the last two pre-season friendlies for the North Africans. Could his path lead from KSC to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA?