The Lilies will host Hamburger SV at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor next Saturday (May 3rd, 1pm) in the 32nd matchday of the second division. Florian Kohfeldt spoke about this match at the press conference on Friday (May 2nd). We’ve summarised the key points for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Holland, Paul Will, Christoph Zimmermann, as well as Othmane El Idrissi, Alexander Brunst, and Meldin Dreskovic are unavailable. Oscar Vilhelmsson is sidelined due to a thigh problem. Matthias Bader participated in some team training this week, but is not yet available for the season. Merveille Papela has served his suspension and is available again.
With our first match point last week in Münster, we finally put the relegation issue to rest. Now we’re really looking forward to a great home atmosphere at the Bölle. It’s a very special game, and that’s how we want to perform. The team is also really excited about this match. I’m sure we’ll be able to make our mark and implement the style of play that has made us strong for months. We’ve won four home games in a row here at the Bölle. We want to go into this home game with the confidence we’ve gained from our last few games. I’m really looking forward to a football festival at the Bölle on Saturday.
Hamburger SV possesses absolutely top-class individual talent in every position – from goalkeeper to center forward. In attacking one-on-one situations, with Dompé and Sahiti, they have by far the best wingers in the 2. Bundesliga – that’s even top-flight quality. HSV has had a very stable second half of the season for a long time, picking up good points. They have a clear idea of how they want to earn points. The team tries to press high. Especially in the center, they have very intelligent players both with and without the ball. A lot is at stake for HSV in the last three games, so I expect a high-energy Hamburg team, especially at the beginning. Our task will be to slow down this initial onslaught and then push through our strategies as the game progresses.
Sporting director Paul Fernie summed it up perfectly: This season had all the ingredients for a worst-case scenario. In the end, we averted this very confidently. We took a short breather after the draw in Münster. But it was nothing more than a short breather. You could already tell in the locker room after the game that the lads weren’t happy with their performance in Münster. So there’s no reason to artificially build up the tension, because the tension is fully there. We still have three attractive games ahead of us, which have such great motivation. And we want to win all three. The team has trained with focus, is excited about the games, and will give their all. Moreover, last season and phases of this season weren’t the best for our fans. We’ve already given a lot back. But we want to continue to have great experiences with our fans. And of course, you’re more likely to have those after victories.
Tobi will also be in the squad on Saturday and in the two following games. If he plays, it will be no surprise. He definitely has the ability to be important in the final games. I’ve known Tobi for ages. We’ve kept in touch since our time together in Bremen. Tobi is an absolute club legend. He scored many important and decisive goals and was also a very influential figure in Darmstadt. We had many good discussions over a long period of time. Tobi is a very ambitious athlete and mastered the second half of the season, in which he didn’t play that much, with style. I take all my hats off to him. Especially during a difficult phase, he was always there for the team, both in the dressing room and for us as the coaching staff. I have the utmost respect for that. I’ll probably shed a tear or two when he plays his last game for the Lilies against Regensburg. He is an outstanding player and an outstanding character.
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.
