2nd league
“The Böllenfalltor will burn”: Darmstadt is hot for HSV
On top with Darmstadt 98: Lilien coach Torsten Lieberknecht. photo
© Tom Weller/German Press Agency GmbH/dpa
Financially, Darmstadt 98 cannot keep up with second division clubs such as Nuremberg, Düsseldorf, Hanover or Hamburger SV. In terms of sport, however, the Hessians have so far outstripped the competition.
Rudiger Fritsch does not utter bold slogans or even promotion slogans. The president of SV Darmstadt 98 has every reason to do so these days.
The traditional Hessian club has been unbeaten in the 2nd Bundesliga for 20 games and is enthroned ahead of all competitors at the top of the table before the promotion cracker against the pursuer and big favorites Hamburger SV on Saturday (8.30 p.m. / Sky and Sport1). “The race is not over yet, so we remain humble,” said Fritsch in an interview with the German Press Agency.
The 61-year-old still has memories of his progress to the Bundesliga almost eight years ago, but in his opinion they are not suitable as a blueprint for this season. “The climb back then was like a fairy tale, just amazing,” said Fritsch. This season, however, the sporting high is not surprising: “We didn’t rise from the ashes like a phoenix when you look at the placements of the past three years.” However, Fritsch also admitted: “It was not foreseeable that things were going so well to date.”
Before the duel with HSV, coach Torsten Lieberknecht’s team has four points more than their rivals. The advantage over 1. FC Heidenheim on the relegation place is already eight points and over SC Paderborn on the first non-promotion rank even ten points.
“Made a significant leap”
And yet those responsible exercise modesty. “We’ve made another significant leap in the past year and a half and are also ambitious. But promotion slogans would be out of place,” said sporting director Carsten Wehlmann. “Nobody walks around with the table every day here.”
Nevertheless: the club has established itself in the top group of the 2nd Bundesliga and created the conditions for fourth promotion after 1978, 1981 and 2015. The venerable stadium at Böllenfalltor was completely renovated, the squad was put together cleverly and the team worked with a sense of proportion.
The years since the last Bundesliga affiliation have been used “to develop further in all areas. We still draw strength from this time in which we developed a wagon mentality,” said Fritsch. “Of course, sporting success makes work easier. Everyone in the club is in a positive mood.”
Lucky choice Lieberknecht
And then there is Torsten Lieberknecht. The 49-year-old football coach, who has a contract until 2025, has proven to be a stroke of luck for the lilies. “The things that we hoped for have worked out perfectly. He is technically top and brings the human component to the table. He lives with the city and the club. Of course we are happy that it works so well,” said Wehlmann.
With his style, Lieberknecht has long since conquered the hearts of the fans and also won over the team. The man from the Palatinate, who once led Eintracht Braunschweig from the third to the first division, is the undisputed boss and still conveys closeness and empathy. “The trainer is authentic. He’s the way he appears to the outside world. He’s not one who plays a different role when the cameras and microphones are on,” praised Fritsch.
Lieberknecht fits in with the club, “in which we have had continuity at the management level for twelve years. The calm and professionalism in all areas radiates. If the coach then fits in so well, such results can be achieved.”
When looking at the table in tranquil Darmstadt, they sometimes rub their eyes in amazement. “If you look at the economic substance of HSV and the substance of a city with a population of more than a million like Hamburg, the basic roles are actually clearly divided,” said Fritsch. His anticipation for Saturday evening is all the greater: “We will oppose HSV despite the great personnel worries. The Böllenfalltor will burn.”