Niko Kovac: Borussia Dortmund appoint former Bayern Munich boss as new head coach after Nuri Sahin dismissal

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Former Croatia captain and ex-Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovac will take charge of Borussia Dortmund from Sunday, the club has announced. The Croat, who has been out of a job since he was sacked by Wolfsburg in March, takes over a week after Nuri Sahin was fired following a string of poor results. The club have qualified for the Champions League play-off places and are 11th in the Bundesliga.

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Borussia Dortmund have announced the arrival of Niko Kovac as their new head coach, a week after they parted ways with Nuri Sahin following a poor run of form.

Kovac, formerly Bayern Munich and AS Monaco manager, will take charge on Sunday and has signed a contract until June 2026.

Dortmund have endured a difficult season and sit 11th in the Bundesliga, with Sahin sacked after a string of poor results.

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With a 10th place finish in the Champions League league stage table, they have secured a seeded spot in the play-offs, where they will face either Club Brugge or Sporting Lisbon across two legs.

Youth team coach Mike Tullberg took interim charge this week after Sahin's dismissal, overseeing the side's first point of the year in a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen, and their first win of the year as they beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 in the final Champions League group game on Wednesday night.

He will remain in his post for Dortmund's Bundesliga match against Heidenheim this weekend, with Kovac to take over on Sunday.

"The talks with Lars Ricken were very constructive, with the necessary depth, clarity and knowledge of the situation," Kovac said in an official statement.

"All those responsible at BVB gave us a very good feeling during the talks, so I am convinced that we can achieve a lot together in the future.

"The most important thing for all of us now is to have absolute determination, a big heart and the willingness to work hard to represent Borussia Dortmund in the best possible way in the Bundesliga, the Champions League and at the Club World Cup in the summer. We are taking on this challenge with determination and focus."

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It is the Croat's first managerial post since he was sacked by Wolfsburg last March. A long-standing captain of Croatia as a player, he also previously managed the Croatian national team from 2013 to 2015.

His first job in management was at Red Bull Salzburg, with spells at other Bundesliga clubs including Eintracht Frankfurt, before a move to Bayern Munich in 2018, where he won the domestic double.

"We've held intensive talks with Niko Kovac over the past few days and have consciously taken the time to get to know each other and our expectations," the club's managing director of sport Lars Ricken said.

"Niko's teams have always been characterised by energy, determination and a sense of the importance of team spirit. We want to feel and see all of this both on and off the pitch.

"We find ourselves in a challenging situation and are certain that in Niko we have found a coach who is capable of overcoming it."

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