Football Season Guide

After relegation from the top-flight the previous season, it was apparent that change was needed at Darmstadt. A poor start saw coach Lieberknecht leaving to be replaced by Kohfeldt. This initially proved to be a positive move with the Lilies in flying form before the winter break, unfortunately injuries to key players disrupted their momentum, and they eventually finished a disappointing 12th. Kohfeldt has used his first full summer to trim down an over-inflated squad and also to add the players he needs to get Darmstadt back among the top teams. Despite a fair few departures, key players remain at the club for now. Attacking duo Hornby and Lidberg formed a lethal partnership last season and will be hoping that continues. New recruits Bialek and Guler will be keen to prove themselves also, so you would expect Darmstadt to be strong offensively. Defender Pfeiffer has returned to the club and will be looking to rediscover the form that got him a move to the Bundesliga originally. Japanese duo Furukawa and Akiyama should also improve the squad. Creativity in the midfield area could be an issue for Darmstadt. Boetius has the ability to unlock defences, but getting him back to his best after illness and injuries has proved difficult so far.