Review. Season 2023/24. It was the 23rd matchday in the Bundesliga and SV Darmstadt 98 played against SV Werder Bremen in the Weserstadion. The 1-1 score brought the Lilies a point, but left all Darmstadt residents with bitter feelings. A strange course of play and a controversial moment in stoppage time provided plenty to talk about. First, the Hessians fell behind through an own goal before they were able to equalise. But the big excitement came in the seventh minute of injury time: Tim Skarke caused pure ecstasy with his supposed last-minute winning goal - on the field, but also in the visitors' block. But the joy didn't last long. Because the referee team overturned the goal due to a controversial handball rule.
Despite the trouble from last February, SV Darmstadt 98 can look back on good memories against Werder Bremen. In the first half of the 2023/24 season, for example, the North Germans were defeated at home 4-2. In addition, the Lilies have only lost two of eight competitive games against Bremen since 2015, but have never been able to win in the Weserstadion. But what is it called? The cup has its own laws! We take a closer look at SV 98’s round of 16 opponents.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Jens Stage – 5 Goals | Marvin Ducksch – 6 Assists |
| Marvin Ducksch – 5 Goals | Mitchell Weiser – 4 Assists |
| Keke Topp – 4 Goals | Justin Njinmah – 2 Assists |
| Justin Njinmah – 2 Goals | Romano Schmid – 2 Assists |
“I don’t know of any player in our squad who hasn’t gotten better under him.”
With these words, Bremen’s goalkeeper Michael Zetterer praised his head coach Ole Werner in an interview with Sport 1. The 36-year-old has been on the sidelines of SV Werder Bremen since 2021, and last Thursday (November 28th) he celebrated his three-year anniversary on the Weser. Werner already had a good reason to celebrate with the North Germans in his first season: with SVW he was promoted to the Bundesliga straight away. Since then he has managed to steadily establish the team in the middle of the table in the top German league.
Before Werner started working in Bremen, he gained experience at his Holstein Kiel training club. There he caused a stir when, for example, he led the “Storks” to the semi-finals of the DFB Cup. On the way there, Werner and his team pulled off one of the biggest surprises in the cup in the quarter-finals: a victory on penalties against the record champions and cup winners FC Bayern Munich. After the game, Werner was enthusiastic: “I just met a lot of confused people in the dressing room. It is an extraordinary experience and something that will be remembered for many years to come.”
So Werner knows how the trophy works.
Switching off after a tour? That’s definitely not a good idea against SV Werder Bremen. In the current Bundesliga season, the boys from the Weser have impressively proven how dangerous they can be even when they are behind. Bremen were initially behind in eight games, but they saved at least one point in half of these games. They collected eight points with two wins and two draws. With this record, Werder is one of the strongest teams in the league when it comes to catching up. Only the reigning German champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen were able to generate more points after falling behind (9).
Jens Stage. A player in the best possible shape of his life. The Danish midfielder from SV Werder Bremen is currently enjoying an outstanding season in the Bundesliga and has five goals to his name so far. He scored three alone in Werder’s spectacular comeback in Hoffenheim, when they won 4-3 after being 3-0 down. A remarkable record, too, especially for a central midfielder. “I always said that I had to score goals. I have always scored goals in my career. Not many, but the number is okay. For me it is important to first get into the right situations. With self-confidence you score the goals,” explained Stage in an internal interview with the club.
His strong performances in the Werder shirt did not go unnoticed at international level. In October, the 28-year-old was called up to the Danish national team again after three years without being called up – for the Nations League games against Spain and Switzerland. While he was not yet used against the reigning European champions Spain, Stage was able to play his second international match for the senior national team against Switzerland. The Dane dreams of further appearances in the jersey of his home country in the future: “My goal, like every footballer, is to play there. I know that I have to work hard at the club and perform well. “First of all, I’m trying to do my best for Werder and I know that if I find the right moments, I’ll have a better chance of playing for the national team.”
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.
Lilies at the Wildpark! SV Darmstadt 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC this coming Sunday (May 3rd/1:30pm) for the 32nd matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. Will Darmstadt's positive record from recent encounters continue? Will Florian Kohfeldt and Isac Lidberg extend their scoring streak against KSC? And will Fabian Schleusener finally stop scoring against SV 98? We've compiled all the facts and figures for you.
SV Darmstadt 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC on Sunday (May 3rd/1:30pm) at the Wildpark Stadium for the 32nd matchday. To ensure you are well prepared for your trip to KSC, here is a summary of all the important information for your visit to the stadium.
To ensure a smooth and convenient journey to Karlsruhe this weekend, SV 98 is offering a special train service that will transport Lilies fans directly from Darmstadt to Karlsruhe and back. Additionally, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team will host SV Hummetroth at their home academy this Wednesday evening (April 29th). For more news and updates, check out our usual "Lilien Across the Board" – all the latest news about the club, gathered here for you.
At the end of the current season, the partnership between SV Darmstadt 98 and Software AG, which has grown over many years, will end due to a strategic realignment of the software company.
The DFB sports court has suspended Patric Pfeiffer for one match following his sending-off against SV Elversberg.
Four goals, three points, and a well-deserved victory in the Hessenliga! At home against VfB 1905 Marburg last Saturday (April 25th), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team finally celebrated a win after a long wait. Thanks to their confidence, assertiveness in one-on-one situations, and numerous scoring opportunities, the U21s convincingly beat the Marburg team 4-0.
As Florian Kohfeldt approached the team's dressing room at halftime, the Darmstadt head coach heard exactly one sentence: "It's not finished." Fraser Hornby had uttered it, setting the tone for his teammates and himself. What followed was a remarkable second half from Darmstadt 98 and a point against SV Elversberg, a point that, while likely insufficient for their promotion hopes in southern Hesse, nonetheless filled the Darmstadt fans with pride.
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.