What does it take to be successful in the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor against SV Elversberg on Saturday afternoon (08.02/1pm)? What does Florian Kohfeldt expect for a duel? And what does the head coach of SV Darmstadt 98 say specifically about his team's offensive play? He provided the answers at the press conference on Friday (February 7). We have summarised the most important Kohfeldt statements for you.
Personnel Update: Paul Will, Matthias Bader, Christoph Zimmermann, Fabian Holland and Kai Klefisch as well as Othmane El Idrissi are out. Tobias Kempe and Matej Maglica are also missing due to illness. The appearances of Fabian Nürnberger and Fraser Hornby, who was unable to train fully this week, are still open.
I don’t think either team has a confidence problem. Both teams have a dominant and playful approach. So I don’t think it will be a fighting game. Both teams want to play forward in every situation, but that hasn’t always worked for both of them in the last few weeks. Elversberg is one of the teams that perhaps plays the gaps most consistently and wants to play from the back to the front most consistently. The SVE is a team that wants to get the ball back quickly. I therefore expect an open game. As a fan, I would have high hopes of seeing an attractive game on Saturday.
We are not happy with the last three weeks. The results just weren’t what we wanted to achieve. We also didn’t create the number of chances we expected from ourselves. Nevertheless, we have a good team structure and a very good basis as a team. It’s now about getting that last flow again. This means not thinking when making the final decision, but simply doing it. We are working on that. On the other hand, the basic structure with the ball and the work against the ball are also positive things from the last few weeks. I see a lot of factors that give us a high probability of being successful again at the weekend and in the next few weeks. The team is very keen to win again.
I see the expectations of Isac more as praise. He was out for eight to nine weeks. Accordingly, we must be patient. After all, we want to have something from him by the end of the season. In the last few weeks we haven’t created the number of chances we’re used to. I still have great confidence in all the players in our squad. Oscar Vilhelmsson, for example, coped physically well with the game in Nuremberg. The probability that he will start again is very high. I don’t want to put the pressure just on Isac. He is certainly an important piece of the puzzle for us. But our problem at the moment in creating scoring chances lies more in the determination from the spaces in between – initiating situations ourselves from these spaces. Of course, Isac helps because he binds opponents up front. But to blame everything solely on him and his absence in the last few weeks would be too much.
It’s not an attitude issue. Sometimes we want to make it too perfect. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what it looks like, both offensively and defensively. Kaiserslautern was our last outstanding game. There, for example, we had twelve to 15 great chances. But the team has to learn that it won’t be like this every time. We just have to take the simple thing – no matter how the ball goes in. In the last few weeks we have also received far too few standards, even though they are always dangerous. We had a corner against Nürnberg, but that’s not enough.
The transfer speaks for our scouting. Meldin Dreskovic is a classic scouting transfer in a positive sense. We have created a clear profile of what we want. The data and the personal development level were right. And we trust him to be able to play in the 2nd Bundesliga. We see great potential for development – especially in playing with the ball. He is a very athletic guy who is very aggressive in duels. He is healthy, fully fit and had very good performance tests. He will be in the squad on Saturday.
SV Darmstadt 98 informed all season ticket holders about the season ticket procedure for the 2026/27 season on Wednesday (May 6th) and would also like to share this letter on the club's own website.
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
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.