Nuri Sahin Sacked As Borussia Dortmund Coach After Champions League Defeat To Bologna

Borussia Dortmund have sacked its head coach, Nuri Sahin following their Champions League defeat to Bologna on Tuesday.

Borussia Dortmund, last season’s Champions League finalists, are currently 13th in the competition and sit 10th in the Bundesliga, trailing league leaders Bayern Munich by 20 points.

Nuri Sahin, who took over as head coach in the summer after Edin Terzic’s departure, has struggled to turn the team’s fortunes around.

The defeat in Bologna marked Dortmund’s fourth consecutive loss, with only one win in their last nine matches.

The loss to Bologna, a team considered far from elite, further exposed Dortmund’s inability to control games.

Matthias Sammer, an advisor to the club, noted after the match that the team lacked both mental and physical strength.

In a statement confirming his exit, Sahin expressed regret, saying, “Unfortunately, we have not managed to live up to Borussia Dortmund’s sporting ambitions this season. I wish this special club all the best.”

Sporting director Lars Ricken admitted the decision was painful but necessary, noting that the club has ost confidence in achieving our goals under Nuri Sahin.

“We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much. We hoped for a long-term collaboration and until the end we had hoped we could achieve a sporting turnaround together.

“This decision hurts me personally, but it was unavoidable after the game in Bologna,” Lars Ricken said.

During the match, Dortmund had taken an early lead in the 15th minute but conceded twice in quick succession during the second half, ultimately losing for the third time in seven Champions League matches.

Nuri Sahin, a Dortmund academy product, played over 250 matches for the club in two stints as a player. Before returning to manage Dortmund, he spent more than two years coaching the Turkish side Antalyaspor.

Meanwhile, West Ham have announced Graham Potter as their new Head Coach, following the dismissal of Julen Lopetegui, who spent just six months in charge.