Why is SSV Jahn Regensburg actually called "Jahn"? To understand this, we need a brief excursion into history. The year is 1810: Germany is fragmented into many small states and is under Napoleonic rule. During this time, one man in particular is committed to a common German identity – Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, better known as "Turnvater Jahn." After Napoleon's defeat in the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, his introductory book, "Die deutsche Turnkunst," was published in 1816. But what does all this have to do with a German football team?
Contrary to what today’s focus on football might suggest, the roots of SSV Jahn Regensburg lie in gymnastics. The Turnerbund Jahn (Jahn Gymnastics Association) was founded in 1886, and in the 1920s, the Sportbund Jahn (Jahn Sports Association) evolved. In 1934, the club merged with Schwimmverein 1889 and Sportverein von 1920 – today’s SSV Jahn Regensburg was born.
Fast forward in time. Since 2008, SSV Jahn has regularly competed in German professional football. In the 2023/24 season, after being relegated to the third division, they were immediately promoted back to the 2. Bundesliga – but before the final matchday of the 2024/25 season, one thing is already clear: Regensburg will once again be relegated to the third division next season. In the final home game of the season, the Lilies will face the traditional club from the Danube – we’ve taken a closer look at their upcoming opponents for you.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Noah Ganaus – 5 Goals | Bryan Hein – 3 Assists |
| Christian Kühlwetter – 3 Goals | Christian Viet – 2 Assists |
| Eric Hottmann – 3 Goals | Eric Hottmann – 2 Assists |
| Rasim Bulic – 2 Goals | Tim Handwerker – 2 Assists |
From Lebanon to the second division – Munier Raychounis has taken a rather unusual path on his way to becoming a second-division coach. And that could bring him many advantages. But first things first:
International experience? Munier Raychouni has more than enough of that. Before taking over as interim coach at SSV Jahn Regensburg, his playing career took him around the globe – far from the traditional football nations. Between 2011 and 2017, Raychouni played in Singapore (Woodlands Wellington), Lebanon (Safa SC Beirut), Thailand (Lamphun Warrior), and Bahrain (Isa Town Club), among others. While these are all somewhat unusual stops, that’s precisely what makes his path so special.
Back in Germany, the Berlin native began his coaching career at CFC Hertha 06 in the Oberliga before working as assistant coach at the regional league club Berliner AK from 2018 to 2020. This was followed by further years as an assistant coach in the Regionalliga Nordost at FC Carl Zeiss Jena, where he worked under Dirk Kunert and Andreas Patz. In 2022, Raychouni took over the FCC U19 team and gained further valuable experience in the youth sector.
In November 2024, he joined SSV Jahn Regensburg alongside Andreas Patz and took on the role of assistant coach. Following the split between Regensburg and Patz on May 8 of this year, Raychouni now assumed responsibility as interim head coach. Raychouni demonstrates a great deal of selflessness: „My personal situation is secondary in this situation. The club and the team are my primary focus,“ the coach said at his first press conference as interim head coach of SSV Jahn.
Munier Raychouni
Interim coach SSV Jahn RegensburgAnyone expecting an intense duel this weekend could be right on the money: SSV Jahn Regensburg is one of the league’s most competitive teams. With a total of 3,554 duels won, Jahn ranks second behind Elversberg (3,599). The Upper Palatinate team is also strong in the air, winning 722 aerial duels – only Preußen Münster is just ahead in the 2. Bundesliga with 749.
As a child, Julian Pollersbeck didn’t dream of packed stadiums or floodlit games – at least not exclusively. Just as he loved catching balls from the corner, he also loved swinging a tennis racket. His father, a tennis coach himself, encouraged the young Julian from an early age – but his heart beat for both tennis and football. Unfortunately, in Emmerting, the coach’s son was in goal for a long time. So Pollersbeck had to help out on the field, while his dream of becoming a goalkeeper was put on hold.
Through detours and adjustments, his path eventually led him to where he always wanted to be: between the posts. Through his hometown club DJK Emmerting, his youth career at Wacker Burghausen (2010 to 2013), and finally his move to 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Pollersbeck matured slowly but steadily. Sven Höh, his goalkeeping coach at Lautern and now goalkeeper coach at HSV, became a formative mentor. „Without him, I wouldn’t have made it to the pros,“ Pollersbeck says on Jahn Regensburg’s website. In the 2016/17 second-division season, he unexpectedly got his chance at 1. FC Kaiserslautern: After a red card for regular goalkeeper André Weis, Pollersbeck started in goal – and stayed there. His strong performances earned him a spot in the U21 national team, with whom he won the 2017 European Championship. To top it all off, he was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
He moved to HSV in the summer of 2017, but things didn’t go as hoped. Relegation, mental strain, and a lot of criticism. Pollersbeck doesn’t regret his time in Hamburg, though: „It wasn’t an easy time. But these experiences helped me grow as a person, and a lot of positives remain.“ The next step came in the 2020/21 season, when he moved to Olympique Lyonnais – big names like Depay, Lacazette, and Boateng were in training, but he barely played. After his move to Magdeburg in 2023, an injury halted his career, and his new start fizzled out.
Now Pollersbeck is between the posts at SSV Jahn Regensburg, where he wants to start a new chapter with old goals. And perhaps recapture some of what he once learned on the tennis court: calmness, precision—and the courage to keep stepping up to the line.
From the early 1980s, he was active in the service of SV Darmstadt 98 for almost four decades: We Lilies congratulate the former team doctor of SVD, Dr. Michael Weingart, most sincerely on his 75th birthday this Wednesday (April 15th)!
There are five games left in the season, meaning a total of 15 points are still up for grabs. But Darmstadt's focus is entirely on Sunday's match (April 19th, 1:30pm) against Greuther Fürth. From the media briefing with Fabian Nürnberger, from the hockey pitch to San Antonio: We report on all these topics and many more. As usual, you can find all the latest news from SV 98's club life here in our weekly column "Lilies Across the Board."
SV 98 mourns the loss of its former player Roger Prinzen, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday evening (April 13th) at the age of 57.
The long wait for a point is over! After four consecutive defeats, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team finally secured some points. On their home turf, the young Lilies drew 1-1 against TSV Eintracht Stadtallendorf last Saturday (April 11th). Looking at the league table, it was clear even before the match that it wouldn't be easy, as a full ten places separated the two teams in the LOTTO Hessenliga standings. However, the Lilies' U21 team remained evenly matched with the seventh-placed side and collected a crucial home point.
This match is a tradition – at least at the veterans' level: The SV Darmstadt 98 veterans team visited Real Madrid for the third time. The game was played last Thursday (April 9th) at the "Royal Whites'" training ground in the Valdebebas district of Madrid.
The season is drawing to a close, and SV Darmstadt 98's penultimate away match takes them to the Wildpark stadium. On Sunday (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC. We need a large turnout of Darmstadt fans to support them. Advance ticket sales for club members begin next Wednesday (April 15th) at noon. All ticket information can be found in this announcement.
It happened in their 15th home game of the season. Darmstadt lost on their own turf. Deservedly so. Although SV 98 tried everything against the visitors from Hannover until the final whistle, the Lower Saxons proved too strong on Saturday evening. In our analysis, we take another look at the match.
For the first time this season, SV Darmstadt 98 finished a match at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor without any points. The Lilies offered more resistance to Hannover 96's two goals in the second half. However, the pressure exerted by the South Hessians at the end proved fruitless. Read here what the players and both head coaches had to say about the defeat, which Darmstadt considered deserved overall.
Everything has to end and so the undefeated home record of SV 98 ended on Saturday night. Hannover 96 triumphed 2-0 (1-0) to hand the Lilies their first home loss of the season at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
Another top match at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. On matchday 29 (April 11th/8:30pm), Hannover 96 visits Darmstadt. For the clash with their direct league rivals, Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven. The suspended Lidberg and Klefisch are replaced by Lakenmacher and Papela, and Niklas Schmidt comes in for Marco Richter. Bartosz Bialek returns to the Darmstadt 98 matchday squad for the first time this calendar year after recovering from injury.
Once again at 8:30pm, floodlights, top match, and at the Bölle! On Saturday (April 11th/8:30pm), Hannover 96 visits Darmstadt, and once again two teams from the top five meet at Nieder-Ramstädter-Straße. What do the two head coaches have to say before the match? Who will be the referee? And who will be the commentator? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the game against the Lower Saxony side for you in "Matchday Compact."
