Ahead of Friday evening's match (March 13th/6:30pm), Florian Kohfeldt assesses 1. FC Magdeburg's playing style, provides a personnel update, and looks at his own team's preparations for the game. We have summarised the most important statements from our head coach's press conference here.
Personnel update: Bartosz Bialek and Fraser Hornby are unavailable.
We tried Fraser Hornby before the Kiel game, but we opted for a more conservative approach, and he’ll return next week. It’s great that Paddy is coming back. We’ve taken a cautious approach with Rafa (Fabian Nürnberger). He trained fully this week and is therefore a candidate for playing time. Killi trained less, but he feels ready to play 90 minutes straight after a six-week break. He’ll train fully with the team again today for the first time. I’m sure he’s a candidate for the squad. Matze (Bader) trained fully this week and didn’t feel anything. I’d love to include him, but I’ll also consider his prospects for the coming weeks.
I have immense respect for Magdeburg, not least because I’ve never won a game against them. But that’s not the only reason. They have a lot of individual quality in their squad, with players who were in contention for promotion to the Bundesliga right up until the end of last year. Atik, Zukowski, and Ghrieb have a combined 36 points. It’s incomprehensible why they’re at the bottom of the table. And it’s even more baffling when you look at their performances. They should have beaten Elversberg, for example.
They’ve changed their style of play a bit. It used to be all about playing out from the back and combining until the final whistle; they always played man-to-man all over the pitch. They’ve altered that somewhat. They still have those elements, but they’ve also placed a strong emphasis on counter-attacks. They defend deep and then want to capitalise on those transitions. We have to be very alert about that. They have an exciting mix.
Looking at the analysis, there’s no reason why Magdeburg should be 18th. However, it’s a factor in our match preparation that they might not be as confident as teams in the top third of the table. But purely in terms of basic footballing quality, they’re a top-eight team. That’s why we’re very wary, especially since we’re not quite as strong away from home as we are at home. There are many factors that show we absolutely must be vigilant and on our guard.
There are routines that are important, but every game requires specific preparation. We’re not doing anything completely out of the box for Magdeburg, though. We’re confident and know we can win games. We also know that opponents need to be prepared for our strengths. We’re simply eager to win an away game.
I’m working very hard to prevent us from already looking ahead to the next games. I’m very strict about that. There’s only one thing that matters: Friday night. Once Friday is over, it’s all about Saturday. Anything else is pointless. But I have to communicate that more to the outside world than within our locker room. That’s an important distinction.
Of course, I’m aware that there probably won’t be a single seat left at the Bölle for the last four home games – fantastic. And everyone watching from the outside should be dreaming about those evenings, and the excitement should be palpable. I think it’s really cool that this euphoria has built up in the city. But we only have one job: Friday night.
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.