Our next opponents: The Lilies see themselves as underdogs

Position

There is no doubt that a good start looks very different. SV Darmstadt 98 have lost all three of their first games in the new season. The unexpected 3-0 defeat in the first round of the DFB-Pokal away to fourth tier FC Homburg 08 was particularly painful. "For the first time in my two years at the Lilies I have to say: We can only apologise to our fans for this performance and going out of the cup," declared coach Torsten Lieberknecht. His team did lose the first two Bundesliga matches away to Eintracht Frankfurt (0-1) and at home to Union Berlin (1-4) but Darmstadt looked completely different in those games.

In their return to Germany's top flight after six years in the second division they were on equal terms with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hessen derby. Lieberknecht talked about an inspirational game afterwards. And the Lilies were also better in their first outing at their upgraded and sold-out Merck Stadium on Böllenfalltor than the heavy 4-1 defeat against Champions League participants Union Berlin would suggest. "We've learned the hard way today," said captain Fabian Holland summing up the game against the unruffled team from Köpenick in Berlin who were able to score three goals playing with ten men.

Personnel

SV Darmstadt had five new signings in their starting line-up against the Irons. Two of them, Luca Pfeiffer and Bartol Franjic, were signed just before the start of the season. Both have Bundesliga experience with midfielder Franjic on loan from VfL Wolfsburg and centre-forward Pfeiffer has joined on loan from VfB Stuttgart. The latter does not appear to need much time to get up to speed. The 27-year-old is returning to Darmstadt. Pfeiffer scored 17 goals and provided six assists for the Lilies in the 2021/22 season. "I'm very happy to be able to call him one of my players again," said a delighted Torsten Lieberknecht. "Luca knows exactly how SV 98 works as a club and he has proved how many sides he has to his game."

In the back three preferred by the coach there are two new faces in Christoph Klarer (Fortuna Düsseldorf) and Matej Maglica (VfB Stuttgart). Fabian Nürnberger (FC Nürnberg) can play on both the left and right wings. Lieberknecht brought on his sixth new signing in the second half in the shape of Fraser Hornby (Stade Reims).

Two of the most experienced players are really important for the stability and balance in the Lilies game: Defender Christoph Zimmerman (30), who missed the Union game due to illness, and captain Fabian Holland. The 33-year-old defender has played for Darmstadt since 2014 and is the only player in the SVD squad in his second Bundesliga campaign with the club. It is possible that Matthias Bader will return for the game against the Werkself on Saturday. The defender came on as a substitute last weekend in the second half for Christoph Klarer after recovering from a thigh injury.  

Performers

Torsten Lieberknecht's team produced a decent performance against Union. The team from South Hessen had 70% possession and made the running for long stretches of the game. Urs Fischer, the Irons coach, praised the organisation and compactness of the Darmstadt side. Last season, SVD had the best defence in the second division with 33 goals conceded. "At the end of the day, that was the basis for everything else," said Luca Pfeiffer. The striker demonstrated his goalscoring ability with two shots against the woodwork in the first two league matches. In addition, he was involved in the build-up for the only goal for the Lilies scored by Marvin Mehlem.

ProblemS

Darmstadt conceded three of the four goals against Union Berlin from set-pieces. "That can't happen," said a disappointed keeper Marcel Schuhen. "Those goals made the difference today." And for Torsten Lieberknecht the set plays "were the killer in the game." The Bundesliga newcomers have previously been fallible in defence from set pieces. Two goals came from set plays in the friendly against Liverpool (1-3) and one was conceded in the 3-0 reverse in the DFB-Pokal against Homburg. Up front there is a lack of power and determination. Darmstadt did not score in four out of six friendlies. And they also failed to find the back of the net in the DFB-Pokal as well as the Bundesliga return in Frankfurt (0-1). In addition, the lack of experience of the team could be problematic. Only four players in the squad have played in the Bundesliga before this season.

Prediction

The club knows it will be a difficult season for SV Darmstadt 98. For many pundits they are the number one team to go down ahead of fellow newcomers Heidenheim. But the Lilies see themselves as underdogs. The kicker wrote about coach Torsten Lieberknecht: "The firm conviction of being underestimated serves them as a performance enhancer." Bad starts are also nothing new for him and his team. Two years ago, the Lilies lost the first two league games and were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal. Last season they lost their opening game away to Jahn Regensburg. The team recovered after those teething problems. Lieberknecht made reference to that immediately after the 3-0 defeat in Homburg. "Nobody gave us a chance. At times, people have spoken about us in a supercilious way. That's what we know. But we know we are here when we have to be."

Captain Fabian Holland was in combative mood after the opening 1-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt: "If somebody hasn't yet recognised that we can do something this season then it must be clear to them now. We are not that bad. We are not relegated by a long way." Of course, staying up would be a great success. The Lilies are capable of that if they again show the team spirit they had last season that led to promotion to the Bundesliga.

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