It's a bitter moment for many fans in the Jahnstadion. While the guest from Heidenheim is currently celebrating promotion to the Bundesliga as champions, the Regensburg team has to say goodbye to the 2nd Bundesliga. Relegation, 3rd league. For the first time since 2017, the Jahn will return to the third division in May 2023. But Jahn is striving with all his might for a direct resurgence. From matchday 10 onwards, the team from Bavaria are in a direct promotion spot and have held this spot for almost the entire season. Until matchday 37.
Because Regensburg only played 1-1 against Viktoria Köln, the in-form Münster team overtook Jahn and thus took second place. Regensburg had to go into relegation, but ultimately fought their way back up against SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The direct re-promotion still worked via the detour of relegation. And SV Darmstadt 98 can now look forward to the duel with Regensburg. Before the clash on Sunday (December 22nd/1:30pm), we’ll take a closer look at the Lilies‘ upcoming opponents.
| Top Arrivals | Top Departures |
| Sebastian Ernst – (Attacking Midfielder, Hannover 96) | Konrad Faber – (FC St. Gallen 1879) |
| Christian Kühlwetter – (Midfielder,1. FC Heidenheim) | Valdrin Mustafa – (Kickers Offenbach) |
| Louis Breunig – (Central Defender, 1. FC Nürnberg) | Noel Eichinger – (1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig) |
| Kai Pröger – (Right Winger, FC Hansa Rostock) | Erik Tallig – (Karriereende) |
First assistant coach, then interim coach and for several weeks he has been able to call himself head coach of SSV Jahn Regensburg. Andreas Patz took over the team after the dismissal of Joe Enochs before the cup game against SpVgg Greuther Fürth, which Patz’s newly formed team won 1-0 and thus moved into the DFB Cup round of 16. The first league game under the 41-year-old was also a complete success. Once again in front of their home crowd, the Regensburg team won 1-0 against SV Elversberg and thus gave new hope to the current bottom team in the 2nd Bundesliga.
Review. Starting as a temporary coach at the DFB base in Thuringia, Patz worked his way up step by step. Initially he was an assistant coach for the reserve team and U19 team at Rot-Weiß Erfurt, and in 2017 he ended up as chief analyst for the Hungarian national team. “When I had to analyse Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, it only took me one or two glances to realise what I was allowed to do here,” said the new Regensburg coach with a smile about his time in Hungary. But Patz quickly moved back to the sidelines. He worked as an assistant coach in the Belgian league – first at Royal Mouscron and then at Cercle Brugge, which he also served as interim head coach for a short time. In 2020, the native of Thuringia went back home to FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the U19s and later to the executive chair of the professionals before taking on the role as assistant coach in Regensburg in 2023.
… is the home strength of SSV Jahn Regensburg when they meet SV Darmstadt 98. Eleven of the last 17 home games went to the team from Bavaria. The Lilies were only able to win one of the last five games in the Jahnstadion. In all of their home games, the SSV also scored 38 goals against SV 98 and conceded 20. The bitterest defeat for the Darmstadt team was probably the 2:7 in 2005…
David Raum, Josip Stanisic and Joshua Vagnoman. Eric Hottmann once stepped onto the pitch with these defenders during his time with the German U19 national team. The SSV Jahn Regensburg striker went through the DFB junior national teams from the U16 to the U19. During his A youth season, the now 24-year-old scored five goals in twelve games, while at the same time he played in the VfB Stuttgart youth team.
After his youth at VfB, he went on loan to SG Sonnenhof-Großaspach in the 3rd league, then moved to Türkgücü Munich and Energie Cottbus before moving to Regensburg in the summer of 2023. “The discussions with those responsible were positive from the start, and the trusting and good exchange was ultimately crucial for the change,” said Hottmann about his commitment. And further: “Here in Regensburg I have the optimal conditions to be able to work professionally.” Hottmann has now played 30 times for Jahn, scoring four goals and assisting another goal.
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here:
Despite falling behind, Darmstadt secured their second consecutive home win! Darmstadt defeated Energie Cottbus 3-1 (1-1). The home side equalised after conceding an early goal in the four-minute period through Weißhaupt before halftime. Vukotic headed his team into the lead in the second half, before Lührs sealed the victory with the third goal. This home win brings Darmstadt's season total to seven points.
Homegame at Böllenfalltor (10/10, 1pm): Florian Kohfeldt has made two changes to his starting XI compared to the away match in Wolfsburg three weeks ago. Richter and Mikelbrencis come into the starting lineup for Sickinger (calf issues) and Lannert (illness).
On Saturday afternoon (October 10th, 1pm), SV 98 hosts Energie Cottbus at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor for Matchday 7. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kick-off? Who is officiating the match, and where can you follow the action live? As always, we have compiled all the key information regarding the game against Cottbus in our "Matchday Guide" feature.