Duisburger SV 1900 is in a strong second place in the table at the halfway point of the season. They are six points behind local rivals and league leaders Duisburger FV 08.
On January 3, 2026, the Duisburg SV 1900 team, led by coach Sergio Pinto Cruz, will begin their winter preparations.
The goal is for DSV to make up the six-point gap to Duisburg FV 08, the leaders of the Bezirksliga Staffel 5. Forecasting spoke with Michele Mastrolonardo, sporting director of DSV 1900. Michele Mastrolonardo, how would you assess your team’s first half of the season? Overall, the first half of the season has been very positive. However, there were also games in which we dropped unnecessary points. But considering the major upheaval in the summer, with a new coaching team and 16 new players, the progress made so far is anything but a matter of course. The team quickly found its feet and has visibly worked hard to achieve the results and current league position. This speaks above all for the strong character and cohesion of the team.
What has been the highlight for you so far?
A particular highlight was the consistency with which the team performed over long stretches of the first half of the season. Added to this is the strong goal difference, which underlines our stability and effectiveness.
And what has been the most negative experience?
Individual unnecessary losses of points despite our superiority in terms of play were annoying. That’s part of the development process.
Will there be any changes to the squad during the winter break?
No major changes are planned. The focus is on further stabilizing the existing squad. However, I don’t rule out selective adjustments. Overall, there will be six departures: four players are leaving the club and one player is moving to the second team. All of these changes are solely due to the limited playing time the players have had. In addition, the season is unfortunately over for David Römer. He has suffered another serious knee injury and needs surgery. What is your goal for the rest of the season? Our goal is to build on our performance in the first half of the season, continue our development and remain among the top teams in the league until the end of the season.