Football Season Guide

Darmstadt's return to Bundesliga after a gap of more than three decades proved to be a successful one as they managed to extend their stay in the top flight of German football to a second season. Darmstadt started the campaign in a brilliant fashion, emerging as early surprise package along with fellow promoted side Ingolstadt but a drop in form midway through the season meant that they only just managed to stay out of the bottom three in the final weeks. Darmstadt have to do it all over again when the new season kicks off with the club once again favorites for the drop. They will have a new face in charge to lead their survival bid, with Dirk Schuster leaving the club to take over at Augsburg and Darmstadt reacted quickly by bringing in Arminia Bielefeld coach Norbert Meier. Apart from a change in coach, Darmstadt have also seen a number of key players leave the club in the summer. Last season's top scorer Sandro Wagner has been sold to Hoffenheim while first choice keeper Christian Mathenia has been signed by Hamburger SV. Tobias Kempe and Konstantin Rausch have also left the club after their contracts expired while Luca Caldirola returned to Werder Bremen after his loan move came to an end. Darmstadt have had their hands tied when bringing in new players and the club has concentrated primarily on loans and free transfers from lower divisions or abroad. Their biggest outlay has been for Immanuel Hohn, with the defender signed from SC Freiburg and already has the experience of playing in the Bundesliga. Antonio Colak, Sven Schipplock and Victor Obinna have been brought in to fill the spot vacated by Wagner but with the trio managing just eight goals between them last campaign, Darmstadt face another long season unless they bring in a striker with a better goal scoring record before the transfer window shuts down. With no big name signing, Darmstadt will once again be relying on team work to see them through the season and with a tough set of opening fixtures, Meier will be aware that he has a big task on hand if he is to get his squad quickly gel together as a unit.