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.
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.