Four matches in 2025, four defeats, minus 20 in the Bundesliga table compared to leaders Bayern, early elimination from the German Cup and a disappointing performance against Bologna in the Champions League...
The expected decision was awaited, and it arrived this morning - Nuri Sahin is no longer the coach of Borussia Dortmund. The European vice-champion decided to fire the young expert, who took over the club during the summer, due to a series of poor results.
"We really appreciate Nuri and his work, we wanted to work together for a long time and until recently we hoped that we could change things. However, recently we have lost faith that we can reach the set goals... This decision hurts me personally, but it was inevitable after the match in Bologna," said Lars Riken, the Dortmund club's sporting director.
The defeat to Bologna came after Borussia were leading 1-0, then conceded two goals in the 71st and 72nd minutes. However, last season's Champions League finalist still has a good chance of advancing to the knockout stages.
How disastrous Borussia has been in recent times is best illustrated by the fact that they have only won one game in nine matches since the end of November.
Sahin, a former midfielder for Borussia, Real Madrid and Liverpool, managed only Antalya before joining Dortmund, and from 2023 to the summer of 2024 he was Edin Terzić's assistant at the club from "Westfalen".
Borussia have not yet announced who will take over the team, and in recent days, Erik ten Hag has been mentioned most often - an expert who worked wonders with Ajax, but who also disappointed at Manchester United, and was fired in November.
However, the name of Niko Kovac has emerged as the most serious option today - this information was reported by Florian Plettenberg from Germany's Sky Sports. The same source also mentions Roger Schmidt.
The Berlin-born Croatian already has plenty of experience in the Bundesliga, having managed Eintracht, Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg.
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