High tension until the end?
Traditionally offered to "lily" devotees in the manner of the house.
If you only look at the last ten years, the most intense in the club's history, Darmstadt 98 has spent almost all seasons with a chance of promotion or class struggle to the end.
Heartbeat finals are a South Hessian specialty.
And mostly with a happy ending.
The golden years from 2014 to 2016 alone: Promotion to the second division via dramatic relegation, promotion to the Bundesliga thanks to a home win on the last day of play, staying in the first class on the penultimate day of play ensured.
In comparison, the sportingly rather gray years after the Bundesliga relegation were characterized by the fact that sooner or later there were worries about relegation every year - before everything resolved at least in that respect.
Everything is still possible
So now a months-long final battle for promotion on the 34th matchday, which promises a lot of drama.
Direct promotion via second place, relegation place third or the thankless fourth place - everything is still possible.
Even if the latter is the most likely given the starting position.
In addition to an adequate result in their home game against Paderborn this Sunday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky), the “Lilies” also need a slip from their rivals Werder Bremen and/or Hamburger SV.
“The anticipation is huge.
Anything can happen on the last matchday.
We've fought against so much resistance this season, whether it's the Corona outbreaks, two of our strikers' goal doldrums in the meantime or a 0:5 home defeat against HSV.
The fact that we're still there speaks for our resilience," says sporting director Carsten Wehlmann.
The leap into the Bundesliga would be a gigantic one for the SVD.
A renewed booster for the development - especially after the financial losses in the Corona period - no matter how long the "lilies" would be able to keep first class.
If the club remains in the second division, a healthy and lively organization would start there in the summer.
With a stadium conversion, which is about to be completed.
With a squad of players in which the most important professionals with the most potential for development are contractually bound, some of them long-term.
Personal continuity
Of the current regulars, only Tim Skarke's contract, who is apparently playing poker for a first division commitment in Darmstadt or elsewhere, expires at the end of June.
In addition, the loan relationship with goalscorer Luca Pfeiffer.
Due to the situation, the club will not use the last home game to say goodbye to those professionals who will leave Darmstadt.
The "lilies" would be careful not to postulate their own promotion ambitions in the new second division game year, but they were definitely among the contenders for the big leap up.
Because if Schalke and Werder were promoted and Fürth and Bielefeld were relegated, the lower house would no longer be so well-known.
The various contract extensions of important players during the all-time high of this season put the Darmstadt team in a comfortable starting position this summer to be able to maintain a lot of continuity in any case.
Many professionals are no longer youngsters, but could still have their prime ahead of them.
There could also be transfer proceeds that were unknown for many years – as happened last summer with Victor Palsson (Schalke) and coach Markus Anfang (Bremen).
The last act in the 2021/22 promotion battle is not one for the "lilies" that is about weal and woe.
Rather, it is about a chance that will be unique for years to come.
In the eyes of goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen, the match against Paderborn is "perhaps the last home game of the season".
And relegation, the spirit of the dramatic exchange of blows with Arminia Bielefeld from May 2014 is still blowing through the Böllenfalltor, they are convinced of that in Darmstadt: we can.