The upcoming opponent. The versatility of SV 98 and the competition within the team. And the players' focus. Florian Kohfeldt spoke about precisely these topics at the press conference on Friday (December 12th) ahead of Sunday's (December 14th/1:30pm) second division match against SC Preußen Münster. We've summarised the most important statements from the Darmstadt head coach for you.
Personnel update: Fraser Hornby will also miss the Münster match. Florian Kohfeldt said at Friday’s (December 12th) press conference that he might be available for the Paderborn game. All other players are currently available.
Preußen Münster is an exciting opponent. I have great respect for them – especially for their transformation. Last season, they played classic football – deep-lying defensce, long balls. They defined themselves through tackles and set pieces. Now they’ve become one of the top three possession-based teams in the 2. Bundesliga. They’re third in possession, which is a statement after 15 games. We’re one place behind them. Münster is trying very hard to define themselves through possession. They have a lot of players near the ball and try to create numerical advantages and draw the opponent out. This team wants to play football and they do so week after week – no matter who they’re playing against. The 2-2 draw against Hannover, in particular, should be warning enough for us. They’re capable of getting points against any opponent. We can look forward to two teams with an active approach on Sunday. I’m hoping for an attractive football match.
Fraser Hornby is an incredibly important player. Part of the team’s development and stability is that we can also find attacking solutions without Fraser. Isac Lidberg, of course, remains a key player. He has a very clear profile, holds the back line, and is always capable of being in the box. We rightly talk a lot about these two guys. But we mustn’t forget that we have a broad and versatile squad with a wide range of player types. We’ve developed a certain degree of flexibility over the past year and a half. The last few weeks and months have shown that we, as a team, are capable of developing solutions that match the strengths of each player. Naturally, we play a bit differently without Fraser. But that doesn’t mean we play any less attractive football. In the 2. Bundesliga, there are hardly any teams that represent attractive football like Darmstadt 98 – perhaps Hannover and Elversberg. We have the second-most scoring opportunities in the league. We’ve more than proven that we can play attractive and attacking football with varying lineups.
I don’t need to remind any of the players to stay focused – for several reasons. First, Münster speaks for itself. We all watch the 2. Bundesliga, and Preußen Münster has impressed everyone this year. They’re doing something special and have racked up a lot of points. Nineteen points at this stage is no small feat. Second, my team is focused, won’t get distracted, and wants to win. For me, it’s not about sharpening their focus, but about developing good solutions while maintaining that focus.
Matthias Bader has shown in recent weeks that he’s a force to be reckoned with in this competition for places. Sergio Lopez has earned his trust over the past year and a half. I could rave about Sergio Lopez as a footballer – especially his attacking play, but also his defensive development. Yes, he made a mistake against Karlsruhe. And of course, he was angry and emotional after being substituted against Karlsruhe. But he was the first to stand up for the team and apologise the next day. That shows what an outstanding person Sergio Lopez is.
The Bundesliga finalised the match schedules for matchdays three through six on Wednesday (July 15th): Darmstadt's home game against Hannover 96 on matchday three will take place on Sunday. This will be followed by their away game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on Saturday at 1pm. The home game against Arminia Bielefeld on Friday evening and the away game in Wolfsburg, also on Friday evening, have also been confirmed.
The Lilies can welcome another new arrival at the Böllenfalltor: Florian Kleinhansl will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 25-year-old joins on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with 1. FC Kaiserslautern on June 30th.
Third test, third clear victory. SV 98 won the match against FC 08 Homburg 5-1 (3-0).
SV Darmstadt 98 and the fusion energy company Focused Energy are entering into an official partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to more closely link top-level football and high technology from the Darmstadt region and to jointly generate momentum for innovation and future societal issues.
Killian Corredor will be playing in his home country again in the future. SV 98 has reached an agreement with FC Nantes on the transfer of the Frenchman.
On Tuesday (July 14, 6pm), SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Regionalliga side FC Homburg and asks fans to take note of the following information.
A home game against KSV! SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Holstein Kiel for the opening matchday of the 2. Bundesliga season this Saturday (August 8 at 1pm). Here’s how you can be there: the member pre-sale for the new season's first home game begins this coming Wednesday (July 15) at 12pm —available online and at the ticket shop at the Merck-Stadion, as usual. You can find all further details in this announcement.
For every home goal scored by the "Lilies," SV Darmstadt 98 fans were doubly rewarded during the recent 2025/26 second-division season. Beyond the joy and excitement, supporters received 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every goal Darmstadt scored at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
In recent days, various media outlets have published reports and graphics regarding the distribution of TV revenue for the 2026/27 season. Some of these reports included not only specific figures but also a comparison to the previous season. This comparison indicates a supposed revenue increase of €1.4 million for SV 98 compared to the 2025/26 season.
SV Darmstadt 98 successfully completed their second pre-season friendly, defeating Verbandsliga side VfR Fehlheim 8-0 (4-0).
