“The anticipation is huge” | Everyone in blue at Bölle

Ten weeks and six days. 76 days. Almost 2,000 hours or over 100,000 minutes. That’s how much time has passed since the ball last rolled in the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Next Saturday (August 2nd, 1pm), it’s finally time again, and the Lilies kick off the season with a home game. SV Darmstadt 98 will host VfL Bochum, who were relegated from the top flight last season, to kick off the 2nd Bundesliga season.

„The anticipation that things are getting started again this weekend is huge,“ emphasised Marcel Schuhen in a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon (July 29th). The SV Darmstadt 98 goalkeeper is looking forward to the new 2nd Bundesliga season and especially to the first home game against VfL Bochum. „Bochum will be a very good team because they have largely kept their team together and have made good reinforcements in certain areas,“ explained Schuhen when asked about their opening opponent. The Lilies are well prepared for the start of the new season. The South Hesse number one: „Our preparation was very good up until the Hoffenheim game, and it was still good after that. The game against Hoffenheim showed us what we still need to work on before the start of the season, which is basically a good thing for us.“

The new season is just around the corner, and as usual, there are two things you can count on for the first home game. First, the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor will once again be completely blue, according to the call from SV 98’s active fan base. Whether you’re wearing a jersey, shirt, or sweater—all fans are encouraged to wear blue to the stadium. Second, the traditional Lilienmarsch (Lily March) will get us all in the mood for the new season. The meeting point is Saturday morning at 10am on the market square in Darmstadt.

Not only the professional teams, but also the youth teams of SV Darmstadt 98 are about to start the new season. Both the U21 and U19 teams will be back in full swing next weekend. The U21 team will kick off the new Hessenliga season on Saturday (August 2nd, 2pm) away against Türk Gücü Friedberg. The U19 team will also play its first home game in the DFB Youth League against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday (August 2nd, 11am). At the same time, the U17 team will play a friendly against SV Waldhof Mannheim – the DFB Youth League U17 league season doesn’t begin until the end of August. Ahead of the new season, sv98.de spoke with Björn Müller, the sporting director of the youth performance center, about the preparation and strategic direction of the U17 and U19 teams.

Müller emphasises that the new league format itself had little impact on summer planning. „The league format doesn’t really require us to adjust anything. However, our own standards do,“ he explains. They draw conclusions from each season, continue to develop, and provide increasingly individual support to their players. This path is constantly evolving, but it’s working better and better.

An important lesson from last season concerns squad composition. „Since we were able to finalise the concept for our new U21 team quite late last season, squad planning for the U17, U19, and U21 teams was already at the limits of what was feasible. What the coaching staff and scouts achieved was outstanding,“ says Müller. Since then, they have had more lead time and have made adjustments based on the experiences of the previous season – for example, by achieving a more balanced ratio of older and younger players to give the teams more stability.

Müller sees the U17 league group as particularly attractive. „The group is very high-quality in terms of sport – with many traditional clubs and exciting derbies,“ says the NLZ sporting director. The match against Eintracht Frankfurt in particular will be something special for many – an emotional duel and a real highlight for the boys. But the matches against Mainz and FCK also hold great promise. The U19s will face TSG Hoffenheim in their opening match and travel to Berliner AK in the DFB Cup. „It’s important that we present ourselves courageously in the matches – because we naturally want to achieve positive results,“ emphasises Müller.

The game plan also reflects a clear approach: „We want to play active football, with clear tasks in the individual positions, quick transitions, and high dynamics.“ At the same time, great emphasis is placed on athletic and personal development. Communication and responsibility on the pitch have been specifically strengthened, and the range of individualised training options is being expanded. „Our goal is to prepare the players holistically for the demands of modern professional football.“

The professional team has two reasons to celebrate this week: Fabian Nürnberger and Tim Arnold celebrated their birthdays earlier this week. Fabian Nürnberger was able to blow out the birthday candles on his cake on Monday (July 28th). He celebrated his 26th birthday. The Bulgarian international lived up to his name and began his professional career in 2019 at 1. FC Nürnberg. He played over 100 games for the Franconian club before moving to SV Darmstadt 98 in July 2023. The defender scored three goals and provided four assists in 53 games for the Lilies.

One day later, Tim Arnold celebrated his 19th birthday. The defender progressed through all of the Lilies‘ youth teams and, after a successful year with the reserve team, received his first professional contract with SV Darmstadt 98 in May of this year.

SV Darmstadt 98 wishes you a very happy birthday!

Would SV Darmstadt 98 be playing professional football today if it weren’t for Hans Kessler? The answer to this question is probably quite clear. Hardly anyone has played such a central role during such a difficult period for the club as he has. When Hans Kessler was elected president in September 2007, the club was on the brink of collapse, both sportingly and financially.

With clear decisions, structural changes, and a fundamental reorientation, he led the Lilies back to calmer waters. The threat of insolvency was averted, and SV 98 gained new prospects. Hans Kessler led the club between 2007 and 2012. Even after his term as president, he remained committed and actively involved as a member of the board of directors from 2012 to 2015.

Next Sunday (August 3), Hans Kessler will celebrate his 76th birthday. SV Darmstadt 98 extends its warmest congratulations and thanks him for the extraordinary commitment with which he has shaped the club’s development over many years. Dear Hans, happy birthday and a big thank you for everything you’ve done for the Lilies.

When the first bars ring out at the Böllenfalltor, thousands sing along. The lyrics have long been ingrained in the collective memory of the Lilien fans. „The sun is shining. The crowd is going wild, waiting for a Lilien goal!“ – this anthem is more than just music; it’s a ritual and a piece of home.

Alberto Colucci is responsible for this special stadium atmosphere. For over three decades, his voice and his song have made goosebumps a habit. This Saturday, August 2nd, the man behind the anthem celebrates his 72nd birthday.

SV Darmstadt 98 sends its warmest congratulations and thanks you for the many years filled with emotion, passion, and identification. We wish you a wonderful day, good weather, and above all, lots of sunshine!