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.
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.
A special place of remembrance for one of the most famous Darmstadt fans. Before SV Darmstadt 98's home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), Jonathan Heimes Square at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor will be officially opened.
Darmstadt's league campaign resumes on Sunday (August 30th). Their opponent? Hannover 96! Hannover 96 have lost more often to Darmstadt than to any other team in the 2. Bundesliga. All the other facts and figures surrounding the match can be found here.
On Sunday (August 30, 2026, 1:30pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information for the upcoming home game. Starting this season, we will be offering women's entrances at the west entrances. Additionally, there is a Bölle Bande family entrance with easier access at the Karl-Hess-Platz entrance.
In Wednesday's media briefing, Nicolas Verkooijen spoke about his Kickbase team, communication within the squad, and the intensive training in Germany. A former Darmstadt 98 player had the opportunity to compete against the best footballers, and we report on the historic stadium tour as part of the Bundesliga's founding anniversary celebrations. All the latest news from SV Darmstadt 98 can be found, as usual, in "Lilies Across the Board"
A journey to the roots of the Lilies: Where churches, residential buildings, or clubhouses stand today, Darmstadt football history was once written. To mark the Day of German Football History, 35 participants set out on a special tour of discovery aboard the professional team's bus—tracing the path from the early pitches of FK Olympia and SC Darmstadt to the club's current home at the Böllenfalltor.