By: Ashiadey Dotse
Borussia Dortmund has hired former Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac as their new manager. The German club decided to replace Nuri Sahin after their 3-0 loss to Bologna in the Champions League. That defeat was their fourth in a row across all competitions.
Kovac, 53, has signed an 18-month contract and will officially take over after Dortmund’s next Bundesliga game against Heidenheim.
Dortmund’s managing director, Lars Ricken, said the club took time to speak with Kovac and understand their goals. “We are in a difficult situation, and we believe Niko is the right coach to help us overcome it,” he said.
Kovac expressed confidence in the team’s future. “I had very good discussions with Dortmund’s management, and I am sure we can achieve a lot together,” he said.
His appointment comes just after Dortmund secured a place in the Champions League play-offs. They finished 10th in the initial league phase after a 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. They will now face either Club Brugge from Belgium or Sporting from Portugal in the next round.
In the Bundesliga, Dortmund is currently 11th with seven wins from 19 matches, trailing league leaders Bayern Munich by 22 points.
