Et remains a ridge on which the “lilies” walk. Not narrow, not that, because the risk of falling is too low. One more win – and the peak of a successful phase that has lasted for two and a half second division seasons (157 points from the last 82 second division games) would be reached. The lead is so comfortable, the feeling so present that it only seems a matter of time before the big party can start.
At Hannover 96 this Sunday (1.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the second Bundesliga and on Sky), on Friday under floodlights after the home game against Magdeburg or really only on the last day of the game in Fürth? The Darmstadt pros can’t get away from the fact that it only seems to be a matter of if and no longer when.
No sign of weak knees
Even if they steadfastly claim to “stay on our route” (Captain Fabian Holland) and work through the daily task without looking at the big picture, the tangible, near goal. “I don’t like the statement ‘somehow it’ll work out’,” says goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen.
Is the last hurdle for a team that has been at the top of the table uninterrupted and at times unchallenged since matchday 12 only of a psychological nature? In view of their style of play and their consistency this season, it is not to be expected that the “Lilien” could get weak in the knees and fear of their own courage. The 0:3 home defeat against St. Pauli, equivalent to the first missed early chance of promotion, gave no indication that there had been a loss of tension at SV 98.
The best defence, the strongest away record in the league and all the other assets of SVD should enable a victory at the aimless midfield club Hannover. Especially since more than 5000 traveling fans from southern Hesse are expected, who will make themselves heard in the arena of the 96ers. “We,” says Holland, for whom it would be the second Bundesliga promotion in the Darmstadt jersey after 2015, “will do everything to get the thing fixed there.”
Only: Hardly any players in the squad have experience of contesting a season finale from a seemingly unchallenged position of strength. One thing is clear: If it was ultimately only enough for relegation rank three, this would be a bitter disappointment. But one thing is also clear: In view of the seven-point lead before the last three games, it may not need much of its own action because it regulates the almost classic spring fatigue of Hamburger SV (if it lost at the same time in Regensburg, the Darmstadt team would automatically have reached the goal) on its own .
“Our drive is the hunt for wins and points”
“I don’t want to know anything about the results in the other places. We want to do our thing,” said coach Torsten Lieberknecht on Friday afternoon. With footballing means and without expressions borrowed from tennis. “It’s the biggest bullshit to talk about match points in football. We don’t have match balls, we kick for three points. That’s why we don’t think about such terms,” says Lieberknecht. “Our drive is the hunt for wins and points.”
19 wins after 31 match days are the record of a promoted team. A team that could not be considered as urgently suspected of promotion before the start of the season and then increased into a splendid year of play. It was not constantly brilliant, but constantly strong. And amazingly crisis-proof.
In the first half of the season, the Lieberknecht team allowed themselves a phase in which they let themselves be snatched away from one or the other lead in the final minutes of the game – and then screwed up their series of unbeaten games to 21. An emerging phase of weakness at the beginning of March (defeats one after the other in Heidenheim and Bielefeld) the SVD responded with a renewed series of successes.
The protagonists credibly report that the internal climate is pleasant compared to the usual cut-throat professional competition in the industry. “In Darmstadt, we always manage to create a successful team chemistry,” says Captain Holland. “There was a very good atmosphere in the dressing room all year round. In training, things really get down to business, but there is also a lot of fun.”
The injury plight in the squad, which was depressing at times this season, will have helped that every player was not only shown verbal appreciation, but that everyone on the pitch also really contributed to what was achieved. It is now up to you to take the final step. Next and maybe last stage of the Darmstadt summit storm: Hanover.
