Funny is the "lily" trainer life!

Torsten Lieberknecht has put together a second division team that has recently rushed from success to success, winning six of the last seven games.

A force that the virus, which is plaguing other locations, seems to be largely avoiding.

A team, most of whose key players have a contract beyond the summer or have just signed.

A formation that credibly developed a special sense of community. And who started the year in second place with a five-point lead over the well-known pursuers Hamburg and Schalke and, if you will, has first-class (promotion) prospects. Now it's up to the people of Darmstadt to make something of it. This Saturday evening (8.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sport1, as well as Sky) the southern Hessians continue the round with a home game against Karlsruher SC.

Will the pros be able to continue on their first half streak of shining from the comfortable position of a carefree conqueror? Or will the position as a well-recognized candidate for promotion unfold psychologically more difficult conditions? Head coach Lieberknecht registered a certain "tenseness" in his players these days before the restart and the exciting question of where the "Lilies" journey will go in terms of sport. According to the football coach, he would have thoughts “if there was fear.

But we have a good mix of fun and the seriousness of wanting to win the game.” And in general: “Our desire to win is greater than the fear of losing something.” Historically, the SVD is familiar with losing to Karlsruhe .

They have only won two of the last 20 competitive games against Baden, the last home win even dates back to 1980.

250 spectators are allowed in the stadium at Böllenfalltor - a small crowd witnessing the gallop into the final 16 games of the season.

In contrast to the weakened KSC, all Darmstadt professionals who are eligible for a squad place are fit and healthy, which fits into the positive image that the "lilies" have been giving for a long time.