On Friday (October 24th/6:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will travel to FC Schalke 04. We have summarised the most important information from the pre-match press conference for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Nürnberger remains out. Sergio Lopez is suspended. All other players are available.
So far, I’ve only been thinking about tomorrow’s away game, but not about Wednesday’s DFB-Pokal match. An away game at Schalke is currently one of the toughest matches you can face in the second division. We’ve dealt with that. We’re not looking ahead to Wednesday yet.
Miron Muslic has managed to get the team to believe pretty unconditionally in what they’re playing. That’s remarkable. But I also see a lot of parallels between the two clubs. Last season was certainly not the easiest for either of them. But both have a clear game plan this year – not the same one, but a clear one. And you can see that clearly at Schalke. They are incredibly energetic and defend strongly going forward. The strikers also work incredibly hard. It’s no coincidence that they have the best defence in the league. They have conceded one goal less than us. With the ball, they are a team whose game is built on a lot of depth, garnished with top quality, especially in attack. The strikers are sought out quickly, and this also involves lots of crosses.
Miron has done an excellent job of bringing calm and sporting success to the club. I think Frank Baumann also plays a role in that. It’s always a collaboration between manager and coach – and it seems to be working extremely well. Similar to how it works between Paul Fernie and me here in Darmstadt, from what I’ve seen. That’s always the basis for success. We played against each other twice in Belgium. I really appreciate his approach. He’s very pleasant to talk to, but a brutal competitor in a game. I’m delighted to see him and found the exchange very pleasant. So we’ll talk, give each other a hug, and give our all in the game to ensure our team wins.
I don’t have a favourite opponent. I’m surprised myself when I read the record, because it’s quite unusual. But that doesn’t matter for tomorrow’s game. I like playing at Schalke. It’s a great arena and a fantastic club with a lot of emotion. But it’s always a tough match because the energy this arena can generate is a factor in games. So my personal record doesn’t matter at all for tomorrow’s match.
Last season’s matches don’t give us any positive momentum for tomorrow. It would be the biggest mistake to think that. Schalke this season really has nothing to do with Schalke last season. The games from last season no longer have any relevance for us.
Matze Bader will be in the squad and handled the match against Magdeburg well. We can vary between a back three and a back four, and we see it as our strength that we’re not tied to one system. We do have a few options. Defensive strength will also be an important aspect against Schalke, and it will be very decisive there.
We’re traveling to the second-placed team in the table. After nine matchdays, it’s fair to look at the table. We’re fourth, three points behind. Schalke are obviously strong opponents. But we also have something to play for. I didn’t want to give the impression that we’re going there as complete underdogs. For me, it’s a 50-50 game. Of course, on good days we have a playful element to our game. I hope we can rediscover that after the Magdeburg game. We’re also very intense without the ball and win possession a lot – we showed that against Magdeburg too. But we need to play them more cleanly. I think set pieces will be a big issue. Both teams are very good at set pieces. I think you could say this will be an absolute top game in the second division on Friday evening.
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.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.
Lilies at the Wildpark! SV Darmstadt 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC this coming Sunday (May 3rd/1:30pm) for the 32nd matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. Will Darmstadt's positive record from recent encounters continue? Will Florian Kohfeldt and Isac Lidberg extend their scoring streak against KSC? And will Fabian Schleusener finally stop scoring against SV 98? We've compiled all the facts and figures for you.
SV Darmstadt 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC on Sunday (May 3rd/1:30pm) at the Wildpark Stadium for the 32nd matchday. To ensure you are well prepared for your trip to KSC, here is a summary of all the important information for your visit to the stadium.
To ensure a smooth and convenient journey to Karlsruhe this weekend, SV 98 is offering a special train service that will transport Lilies fans directly from Darmstadt to Karlsruhe and back. Additionally, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team will host SV Hummetroth at their home academy this Wednesday evening (April 29th). For more news and updates, check out our usual "Lilien Across the Board" – all the latest news about the club, gathered here for you.
At the end of the current season, the partnership between SV Darmstadt 98 and Software AG, which has grown over many years, will end due to a strategic realignment of the software company.
The DFB sports court has suspended Patric Pfeiffer for one match following his sending-off against SV Elversberg.
Four goals, three points, and a well-deserved victory in the Hessenliga! At home against VfB 1905 Marburg last Saturday (April 25th), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team finally celebrated a win after a long wait. Thanks to their confidence, assertiveness in one-on-one situations, and numerous scoring opportunities, the U21s convincingly beat the Marburg team 4-0.
As Florian Kohfeldt approached the team's dressing room at halftime, the Darmstadt head coach heard exactly one sentence: "It's not finished." Fraser Hornby had uttered it, setting the tone for his teammates and himself. What followed was a remarkable second half from Darmstadt 98 and a point against SV Elversberg, a point that, while likely insufficient for their promotion hopes in southern Hesse, nonetheless filled the Darmstadt fans with pride.
For every home goal scored by the Lilies, SV Darmstadt 98 fans will be doubly rewarded in the 2025/26 season. In addition to the joy and excitement, the Lilies' supporters will also receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor.