What kind of opponent can Darmstadt expect from Holstein Kiel? What lessons has SV Darmstadt 98 learned from their defeat against Dresden? And what will be crucial on Saturday afternoon (March 7th/1 pm)? Head coach Florian Kohfeldt answered these and other questions at the press conference on Thursday (March 5th). We've summarised the most important statements from our head coach's press conference for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Nürnberger, Matthias Bader, Bartosz Bialek and Patric Pfeiffer (suspension) are unavailable.
With Fraser, we want to wait and see how he’s doing over the two days leading up to the game and then see what the weekend brings. He’s not a definite no-show, but he’s also not a guaranteed starter or even a sure bet for the squad. He’s fit again, and there’s no point in beating around the bush about how important Fraser is for us. But I can’t say anything definitive about it yet.
We have three top centre-backs in Paddy, Matej, and Vuko. Now Vuko is replacing Paddy. We’re happy when Paddy returns because he plays an incredibly stable and important role in our team. But my confidence in Vuko remains completely unbroken. The fact that we’re able to replace Paddy like-for-like with Vuko speaks volumes about Paul Fernie’s squad planning. This is one of the personnel decisions that allows me, as a coach, to sleep soundly at night.
There’s no denying that Kiel isn’t where they want to be in the standings, or where they belong. With Tim Walter, they now have a new coach who represents a specific style of football. I’m really looking forward to getting to know him. He has an exciting approach to the game. In the match against Elversberg, it was already clear that, unlike how he used to play with his teams, he pressed much more aggressively and demanded a lot more intensity. However, when in possession, you could also see elements that he had implemented at his previous clubs – for example, positional changes and a courageous attacking style.
Keeping a team like Elversberg at 46.5 percent possession, as Kiel did last weekend, isn’t easy. Tim Walter is an exciting coach, coupled with a team whose fundamental quality doesn’t reflect their current position. Nevertheless, this is the week in which I can say the least about Kiel’s team, because we only have this one game in the context of Tim Walter and Holstein Kiel. Therefore, we’ll focus on ourselves. We have our routines and a clear system. These should give us a good chance of winning this home game. Holstein Kiel is a tough opponent that awaits us on Saturday.
Sunshine over the Bölle, a faint smell of bratwurst in the air: I can certainly appreciate that. There are worse times to play football (grins). Whether the floodlights are on or not: external factors shouldn’t influence a footballer. Nevertheless, being chosen so frequently for the 8:30pm match says something about the appeal we’ve developed over the season and the attractiveness of our games. Many of our matches have been thrilling and fast-paced. That’s why we’re delighted; it’s also a compliment to our location.
With a 13-game unbeaten streak, it’s only natural that you’ll lose sometimes. We discussed it in the locker room in Dresden on Friday evening and put the game behind us. We learned from it how to balance Akiyama, Schmidt, and Klefisch, who were playing together for the first time, both in possession and defensively. In the four or five minutes before halftime, our game management wasn’t good; we got a bit frantic. We also gained a very good understanding of Raoul Petretta, who had a good first half. Then we prepared very well for Saturday’s game. Our full focus this week was on Kiel. The team was already super focused at the start of the week. We trained very well and are looking forward to our home game.
We fought together. We celebrated together. We scored points together and celebrated spectacular football festivals. This season, our Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor has once again become a true blue and white fortress. We were on the pitch, and you were in the stands. In 13 home games, we remained undefeated 13 times. Let's keep it that way in the final stretch of the season!
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team suffered a 4-1 defeat at home against FC Gießen on Sunday. The team, currently twelfth in the table, hosted the favoured visitors, who secured third place with this victory.
Strengthening vocational training and further education in southern Hesse: To this end, the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt) and SV Darmstadt 98 have entered into a cooperation agreement. IHK Managing Director Robert Lippmann and Martin Kowalewski, Managing Director for Marketing and Sales at SV Darmstadt 98, signed the corresponding cooperation agreement at the Böllenfalltor stadium.
Darmstadt 98 remain unbeaten in their 13th home game of the season with a 2-0 victory against Holstein Kiel. An early red card played into Darmstadt's hands in the match against the "Storks." As the game progressed, the team from southern Hesse took complete control, securing a comfortable win and celebrating Isac Lidberg's 13th goal of the season and Niklas Schmidt's first goal for Darmstadt. Analysis of the home victory follows.
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.
A fast-paced start, a disjointed first half after Marcus Müller's sending-off. However, Darmstadt showed a different side at the start of the second half. After an early double strike in the second half from goals by Isac Lidberg and Niklas Schmidt, the team from southern Hesse cruised to a comfortable home victory.
Matches at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor continue to inspire Darmstadt to top performances! The home side deservedly defeated Holstein Kiel 2-0 (0-0), securing their seventh consecutive home win. After a difficult first half, the team from southern Hesse came out strong after the break: Lidberg (48th minute) and Schmidt (52nd minute) put their team on the path to victory early in the second half. Darmstadt now boasts 52 points after 25 matchdays.
Matchday 25 of the 2. Bundesliga is upon us. Darmstadt 98 host Holstein Kiel at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven compared to the defeat in Dresden. Aleksandar Vukotić replaces the suspended Patric Pfeiffer in central defence, Merveille Papela comes in for Raoul Petretta, and Marco Richter starts in place of Killian Corredor, who is unavailable due to a knock sustained in the Dresden match. Fabian Nürnberger, Matthias Bader, Bartosz Bialek, and Fraser Hornby remain sidelined with injuries.
Darmstadt 98 are aiming for their seventh consecutive home win in their match against Holstein Kiel on Saturday afternoon (March 7th, 1pm) at the Merck Stadium am Böllenfalltor. Find all the important information about Matchday 25 in our "Matchday Guide" overview.
Although a winning streak has come to an end in Dresden, the current home winning streak needs to be continued against Kiel. Tim Walter, the familiar yet new face on the Kiel coaching bench, is bringing a breath of fresh air to the North German side. All the facts and figures about the match between SV Darmstadt 98 and Holstein Kiel are compiled here for you. Here you'll find the key facts for Saturday's game.
On Saturday (07.03/1pm) SV Darmstadt 98 will host the team from Holstein Kiel and asks you to take note of the following information.
Unmistakably, he glides elegantly across the sky. And when he’s not soaring through the air, he perches atop his nest, which can be up to two metres in diameter. His predominantly white plumage defines his appearance. His red beak and legs provide a striking contrast. We’re talking, of course, about the stork.