SV Darmstadt 98 fans had to wait 76 days, but now it’s finally starting again: second-division football at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The professionals are already busy preparing for the season opener in their own „living room“ on Saturday (August 2nd at 1pm). But preparations aren’t just in full swing at Nieder-Ramstädter-Straße: the fans are also getting ready. And as they have for several years, the motto this year is: Everyone in blue for the season opener at Bölle. We report on this and other topics related to SV 98 in our weekly column „Lilien Across the Board“.
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!
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
