Dortmund Sacks Head Coach Nuri Sahin After Champions League Defeat

Borussia Dortmund have parted ways with head coach Nuri Sahin, the club announced Wednesday, citing a loss of faith in the young manager after a string of poor results culminated in a 2-1 Champions League loss to Bologna on Tuesday.

The decision to sack Sahin comes just months after he was promoted from assistant to head coach this summer. Last season, Sahin was part of the coaching staff that led Dortmund to a surprising Champions League final appearance, where they ultimately fell to Real Madrid. However, a significant downturn in form this season, including four consecutive defeats across all competitions, has led to his dismissal.

Dortmund’s struggles are not limited to European competition. They currently sit in a disappointing 10th place in the Bundesliga, a staggering 20 points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.

“We have, unfortunately, lost faith that we will achieve our sporting goals,” Sporting CEO Lars Ricken said in a statement. Ricken acknowledged the difficult nature of the decision, emphasizing that it “hurts… but was unavoidable after the game in Bologna.” He added, “We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much, we hoped for a long collaboration and until the end we had hope that we could achieve a sporting turnaround together.”

The club, who face Werder Bremen at home on Saturday, have not yet announced a replacement. However, German media outlets have speculated on potential candidates, including former Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag, who has reportedly been seen at recent Dortmund games, and former Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt.

Sahin expressed his disappointment in a brief statement, stating he “unfortunately was not able to live up to Dortmund’s sporting ambitions at this point in time.” He added, “I wish this special club all the best.”

Following Tuesday’s defeat, Sahin had already hinted at his willingness to step aside if necessary. “If I am the problem, or if a change of coach solves the issues, then that’s no problem at all,” he told reporters.

Dortmund’s away form has been particularly problematic under Sahin. This season, they have lost nine and won just four of their 15 matches played away from their home ground, the 82,000 capacity Westfalenstadion. They were also eliminated in the last 32 of the German Cup by Wolfsburg, adding to the club’s struggles.