Darmstadt – Even if the second division SV Darmstadt 98 im DFB Cup couldn’t win against Frankfurt, who played a class higher, coach Torsten Lieberknecht (49) takes many positive things with him into everyday life in the league.
Lilien coach Torsten Lieberknecht (49) was more than satisfied with his team’s performance despite the 4-2 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB Cup round of 16. © Arne Dedert/dpa
After a brief moment of disappointment at the end of the cup trip with Darmstadt 98, Torsten Lieberknecht immediately looked ahead again.
“Unfortunately, the cup is over for us now, but we’ll continue in the 2nd Bundesliga,” said Darmstadt’s coach after the 2-4 (2-2) defeat in the round of 16 in the Hessen derby at Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt. “I hope the lads recover quickly and take a lot of positive things from the game that we need to continue in the process.”
After more than half a year and 20 games without a defeat, the leaders of the second division had to admit defeat to the Bundesliga club after a self-sacrificing fight in a classy cup duel.
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“Of course we are disappointed with the defeat,” said Lieberknecht. “But we played more than one top team and can then also say from the game: How is Eintracht doing, what are we still missing a bit, what can we still learn and what did we do well?”
The analyzes should help the “lilies” in everyday league life. As the leader of the table, already six points ahead of the relegation place and seven before the first non-promotion place, the team is dreaming of jumping into the Bundesliga.
Lieberknecht’s coaching colleague Oliver Glasner (48, right) also praised the performance of the Darmstadt team and wished them promotion to the Bundesliga. © Arne Dedert/dpa
Only one league game has been lost so far, right on the first day of play in Regensburg. The defeat against the Hessian neighbors in the DFB Cup was a setback, but it also gives us confidence.
“We didn’t hide and we didn’t show courage. We know how to assess everything and also know who the next opponent is – the true Eintracht from Braunschweig,” said Lieberknecht with a grin, looking at the second division game against his long-time ex-club Eintracht Braunschweig Sunday.
The Lower Saxony are in eleventh place in the table and with 21 points they have collected just half as many points as the Darmstadt team.
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As an active footballer, Lieberknecht played for the “Löwen” in Braunschweig from 2003 until the end of his career in 2007 and rose to the 2nd Bundesliga with the club in 2005. After 82 league games, he ended his active career, but stayed with Eintracht as a coach and took over the first team after training the A-Youth in 2008. He coached the Braunschweig team for ten years in a row and even led them to the Bundesliga for a while.
“My heart beats for Eintracht from Braunschweig,” said Lieberknecht apologetically towards Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner (48), who after the exciting 90 minutes on Tuesday evening particularly praised the opponent’s quality in the transition game.
“You can’t go 20 games unbeaten if you’re not really good,” said the Austrian, who hopes to see them again soon. “I wish Darmstadt that they make it into the Bundesliga this year and that we have a classy derby again next year,” he said. Lieberknecht would certainly not mind.
