Opponent analysis: SV Darmstadt 98 vs RB Leipzig

Back in Bundesliga action at the Böllenfalltor!

RB Leipzig’s next block of competitive fixtures before the November international break begins with a trip to Darmstadt (15:30 CEST). Saturday’s game will be Leipzig’s eighth Bundesliga match of the season.

The newly-promoted side found adapting to life in the top tier tricky at first, having spent the previous six seasons in Bundesliga 2, but Torsten Lieberknecht’s side have won two games in a row and sit eleventh in the table with seven points.

In our opponent analysis, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about the Lilies’ form and squad, as well as their overall record against RB Leipzig, which goes all the way back to the third division!

Form

SV Darmstadt picked up their first point of the season on matchday 4 after three losses to start the season. They went 3-0 up at home against Borussia Mönchengladbach before the Foals came back to make the final score 3-3. They lost 3-1 to Stuttgart in their next game before their first win of the season came at home against Werder Bremen (4-2). Six days later and they had their second victory of the campaign, this time an away win over FC Augsburg (2-1).
Darmstadt games are never dull. 31 goals have been scored across the seven games that Darmstadt have been involved in, which is the highest tally of any team. The Lilies have scored 12 goals, but conceded 19.

Midfielder Marvin Mehlem and returnee striker Tim Skarke are the team’s top scorers this season, with three goals apiece.

D98’s form in numbers

Darmstadt…
- …have hit the crossbar or post four times this season; only FC Bayern have had more shots hit the woodwork (six).
- …have only won 584 duels, the fewest of any team in the league.
- …have recorded 1268 sprints and 4153 intensive runs, another league-low for the newly-promoted side.
- …have been shown 19 yellow cards. Only Hoffenheim’s players have been booked more times (21).
- …have conceded 19 goals, the joint-most along with Mainz and Bochum.

Squad

Transfer window

New arrivals

Darmstadt picked up a defensive powerhouse in Matej Maglica, who last played for FC St. Gallen. The 25-year-old arrived on loan from VfBStuttgart. He brings a lot of physicality and aerial presence to the team with his 6’5″ frame. The Croatian scored his first Bundesliga goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach, but was sent off later in the game. The defender is back available for the clash with RB Leipzig.
Christoph Klarer was also brought in from Fortuna Düsseldorf to bolster Darmstadt’s defence. The 23-year-old Austrian is characterised by his determination and his mentality. He’s already established himself as one of Darmstadt’s key players, having started all seven of their league games this season.
Fabian Nürnberger is another Darmstadt player who arrived at the club from the second tier (1. FC Nürnberg). He mostly plays down the left and looks to cause problems for the opposition with his dangerous crosses. The 24-year-old assisted a goal against both Bremen and Augsburg.
Andreas Müller, who was last at 1. FC Magdeburg, is primarily a defensive midfielder. He made his Bundesliga debut in the game against Augsburg.
Barto Franjic already has some top-flight experience, having played five times for VfL Wolfsburg last season. The defensive midfielder also captained the Croatia U21s in the European Championship this summer.
Striker Fraser Hornsby scored eight goals for Belgian side KV Oostende last season and made the move to Darmstadt from Stade de Reims in France.
Luca Pfeiffer was one of the most prolific strikers in Bundesliga 2 in 2021/22, scoring 17 times for Darmstadt. He’s back on loan at the Lilies having spent a season at VfB Stuttgart. He’s a threat in the box, standing at 6’4″ tall and has already hit the woodwork three times this campaign. He’s started every game for Darmstadt this season, but is yet to score a goal.
Tim Skarke, who was most recently at Union Berlin, is another player who has returned to Darmstadt on loan after being sent out to Schalke 04 for the second half of last season. He plays alongside Pfeiffer in the Lilies’ attack and has been involved in four goals this campaign (three goals, one assist).

Departures

Striker Phillip Tietz and defender Patric Pfeiffer moved to fellow Bundesliga side FC Augsburg in the summer. Left-back Keanan Bennetts (SV Wehen Wiesbaden), defensive midfielder Yassin Ben Balla (SV Sandhausen) and left winger Magnus Warming (Torino – end of loan) are also no longer at Darmstadt.

Key players

Klaus Gjasula is undoubtedly one of the leading players on the pitch for Darmstadt. The Albania international can play as both a centre-half and in midfield. The 33-year-old holds the record for the most yellow cards in a single Bundesliga season, getting booked on 17 separate occasions in just 27 matches for SC Paderborn in the 2019/20 season.
Fabian Holland (33) is now in his tenth season for the blue and whites. The Darmstadt veteran is the captain and currently occupies the defensive midfield position, despite having predominantly played as a left-back in the past.
Tobias Kempe is another important part of the Darmstadt midfield, who is both strong in challenges and fast. The 34-year-old can also pose a goal threat, which he demonstrated through his recent goal against Bremen and his converted penalty against Augsburg, which won Darmstadt the match. Set pieces are certainly a speciality of his.
Marvin Mehlem has been playing for Darmstadt for six years already. The 26-year-old is the creative playmaker of the team and has particularly impressive technical skill, finesse and offensive power (three goals and one assist so far this season), as well as being strong in challenges and quick.

Injuries

Christoph Zimmermann has been out of action since September due to back problems. However, the centre-half was back in the team during the international break for the friendly against SV Elversberg (4-2 win for Darmstadt) and could therefore feature on Saturday.
Braydon Manu has not played since matchday three due to having tonsillitis and ankle problems. However, the striker also returned to action against Elversberg and should be fit to play against RBL.
Fabio Torsiello has been unavailable for selection in recent weeks due to a thigh injury, but the 18-year-old attacker also got some game time in the friendly against Elversberg and is therefore an option for coach Lieberknecht.

Find all the details about RBL’s squad here.

Head coach

During his playing career, head coach Torsten Lieberknecht ran out for Mainz 05 and Waldhof Mannheim in Bundesliga 2 and made 13 Bundesliga appearances for 1. FC Kaiserslautern between 1992 and 1994.
The 50-year-old was head coach of Eintracht Braunschweig between 2008 and 2018, taking the club into the Bundesliga for the first time in 28 years in 2013, before being relegated to the third division in the years that followed.

Lieberknecht took over as head coach of MSV Duisburg when they were rock bottom of Bundesliga 2 at the beginning of October 2018 and failed to prevent the club from going down. He was then relieved of his duties in November 2020, before joining Darmstadt in June 2021.

Lieberknecht had SVD playing attractive football in his very first season as head coach, scoring 71 goals in the 2021/22 season, only one less than Bundesliga 2 champions Schalke 04. The Lillies only just missed out on promotion that season, finishing behind third-placed HSV on goal difference.

SV Darmstadt improved again the following term, particularly in defence – conceding the least amount of goals in the second division in the 2022/23 season (33), compared to 47 conceded goals the season before. This defensive improvement proved enough to see Lieberknecht’s side promoted into the top flight, ending the season second in the standings behind Heidenheim.

Lieberknecht tends to set his team up in a 3-5-2 formation.

RBL vs Darmstadt

Head-to-head:

Five wins, one loss – 10 goals scored, two conceded
3 home wins, 2 away wins
Top goalscorers: Naby Keita, Marcel Sabitzer (two goals)
Biggest win: 4-0 on 1st April 2017 (Goals: 2x Naby Keita, Emil Forsberg, Willi Orban)