Borussia Dortmund has appointed former Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac as their new head coach.
The Bundesliga club parted ways with Nuri Sahin last week following their 4-0 defeat to Bologna in the Champions League, marking their fourth consecutive loss across all competitions.
Kovac, 53, has signed an 18-month contract and will take over after this weekend’s Bundesliga match against Heidenheim.
“We have had thorough discussions with Niko Kovac in recent days, taking the time to understand each other and align our expectations,” said Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken. “We are in a challenging situation, but we believe Niko is the right coach to navigate through it.”
Kovac expressed optimism about the future, stating, “The discussions with everyone at BVB gave us a very good impression, and I am confident that we can achieve great things together.”
Kovac’s appointment comes after Dortmund secured a play-off spot in the Champions League, finishing 10th in the group stage thanks to a 3-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. Dortmund will face either Belgian side Club Brugge or Portuguese champions Sporting in the upcoming play-offs.
In the Bundesliga, Dortmund currently sits 11th with seven wins from 19 games, trailing leaders Bayern Munich by 22 points.
