"The stats don’t matter" - Martin Schindler ready to put to bed nightmare record against Gary Anderson at European Darts Trophy

Martin Schindler delivered an unforgettable night of darts in the Göttingen Lokhalle on Saturday, keeping his hopes alive of more European Tour glory at the European Darts Trophy.

The crowd had already played its part in pushing Niko Springer to a thrilling decider against Michael van Gerwen after leading 5-3, but when The Wall stepped up against Jonny Clayton, the atmosphere reached another level. Schindler put on a masterclass, demolishing Clayton 6-1 with a stunning 106.78 average, continuing a dream week that had already seen him claim the first Players Championship title of his career on Tuesday.

Speaking after the match, Schindler reflected on his performance: “The scoring was flowing nicely, especially the 180s. When that happens, the game becomes a lot easier.” As he spoke to MC Philip Brzezinski, the 4,000-strong Göttingen crowd erupted into chants of his name. Clearly moved, Schindler soaked in the support. "You can never get used to this. Honestly, every venue has its own atmosphere, but like I said yesterday… I first played a European Tour event here seven years ago, and nothing has changed—Göttingen, you’re incredible."

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Schindler was then asked about Luke Humphries, who also made his breakthrough on the European Tour. Could the world number one serve as inspiration for his own rise? He remained focused: "One step at a time. Today was important, tomorrow is a new day. That’s all that matters right now."

That "tomorrow" brings a huge challenge—Schindler will face The Flying Scotsman Gary Anderson in the third round. In a twist of fate, Schindler has trained with a signed Anderson board and even played with the two-time world champion’s darts in his early career. Now, he has the chance to beat one of his idols on stage for the first time—his only previous win against Anderson came via a retirement due to injury.

"The stats don’t matter. Tomorrow is a new day. Today was good, so let’s keep it going. Hopefully, I can get over the line this time," Schindler said.

Schindler has already cemented his place in German darts history this week, becoming the country's most successful PDC player by winning Players Championship 8. But he now has the chance to take it one step further—if he wins the European Darts Trophy 2025, he’ll become the first German player to claim two PDC titles in the same week.

A victory would also be a huge step toward breaking into the world’s top 16. Schindler currently sits 22nd in the PDC Order of Merit, trailing the top 16 by £47,250. Winning this title would earn him £30,000, bringing him within touching distance of another career milestone.

With his confidence soaring and the Göttingen crowd behind him, can The Wall take another historic step forward?

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