2. Bundesliga Topspiel preview: SV Darmstadt 98 vs. Hannover 96
| Darmstadt celebrate scoring at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfaltor | Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images |
Saturday’s headline clash could prove decisive in the battle for promotion, as Florian Kohfeldt’s Darmstadt and Christian Titz’s Hannover meet level on points with both sides eyeing a return to the top three.
Darmstadt have been firmly in the promotion conversation for much of the campaign, with hopes of a Bundesliga return following their relegation in 2024 far from unrealistic at this point. However, after an impressive 13-game unbeaten run, Die Lilien have lost momentum at a crucial stage, winning just two of their last six matches and slipping to fourth place.
Their most recent outing ended in frustration away at Arminia Bielefeld. Despite taking an early lead through Matej Maglica, Darmstadt were undone by a second-half turnaround, as goals from Semir Telalović and Jannik Rochelt condemned Kohfeldt’s side to a damaging defeat.
Kohfeldt, however, remains confident of a response:
“My confidence in the team and in our ability to deliver a different performance against Hannover, with different solutions, is very high. I don't sense any loss of confidence, not even within the team.”
Hannover, like their hosts, have hovered around the promotion places but have struggled to cement a top-three position. That said, Titz’s side arrive in strong form, with just one defeat in their last ten league matches. They begin the weekend in fifth place, two points behind third-placed Elversberg.
Their last match saw them held to a 1-1 draw in a direct promotion duel with Elversberg. An own goal from Maximilian Rohr handed Hannover the lead, but Lukas Petkov restored parity after the break in a result that did little to separate the two sides.
Titz is under no illusions about the importance of the fixture:
“Our objective is clear: We're going to Darmstadt because we want to win. But both teams want to win. Because if you win, you can put some distance between yourself and stay in contention at the top. It will be a hard-fought game. We'll certainly need to be at our best to get there.”
The reverse fixture delivered late drama, as Darmstadt edged a 3-2 victory in Hanover thanks to Hiroki Akiyama’s stoppage-time winner. Hannover’s last win at the Böllenfalltor dates back to 2021, underlining the challenge that awaits them.
Kohfeldt’s side also boast an unbeaten home record in the league this season, a factor that could prove decisive. Hannover, meanwhile, have lost just once in their last five matches, setting the stage for a tightly contested encounter.
Team news
SV Darmstadt 98: 98: Luca Marseiler is sidelined through injury, while top scorer Isac Lidberg and Kai Klefisch are both suspended.
Hannover 96: Boris Tomiak misses out through injury, while Daisuke Yokota serves a suspension.
Predicted lineups
SV Darmstadt 98 (4-4-2): Schuhen (GK) - López, Pfeiffer, Maglica, Nürnberger - N. Schmidt, Akiyama, Richter, Corredor - Lakenmacher, Hornby
Hannover 96 (3-4-3): Noll (GK) - Allgeier, Nawrocki, Okon - Oudenne, Leopold, Aséko-Nkili, Neubauer - Chakroun, Pichler, Taïbi
