With new coach Sebastian Schmitt at the helm, the U21 team kicks off the second half of the season after the winter break, aiming to improve their league position. „We used the time to gain clarity on the various phases of the game,“ explains the 32-year-old, reflecting on the recent preseason. He emphasises the importance of players knowing precisely „how they should be positioned and what options they have in the respective areas.“ This allows each player’s individual quality to be showcased to its fullest potential. The SV Darmstadt 98 U21s open the season with a home match against fourth-placed Türk Gücü Friedberg. Friedberg has proven to be a strong team so far this season, making the home game a challenging task for the young Lilies.
Schmitt still sees potential for development primarily „in risk assessment when playing with the ball.“ For the defensive game, clear basic formations have been developed for the remainder of the season. Furthermore, intensive friendly matches provided the new coach with additional insights. For the second half of the season, one thing is paramount: collecting points. „We are satisfied with the past few weeks, but ultimately, the goal now is to collect as many points as quickly as possible, alongside developing the young talent,“ said Schmitt.
There were also some changes to the squad. Manolo Merx and Mark Meier were promoted from the U19 team and, according to Schmitt, „are playing a good role in the team.“ At the same time, the weekly schedule was made even more focused on match days, and communication within the youth academy was further intensified. „We feel the support throughout the entire academy,“ he emphasised.
The team is now looking forward to the start of the season after the winter break: „The test matches were good and showed us many things, but we are happy that it’s now about points.“ The objective for the remaining games is clearly defined: to introduce young players to the senior level at an early stage and at the same time collect the necessary points to establish a stable position in the league.
On Friday evening (February 27th), Darmstadt will try to secure a victory against Friedberg on their home turf. Kick-off is at 7:30pm on the artificial turf pitch at Kastanienallee 61 in 64289 Darmstadt.
