Borussia Dortmund have appointed Niko Kovac as their new head coach, the Bundesliga club have announced. The 53-year-old succeeds Nuri Sahin after the former Dortmund, Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder was sacked on Jan. 22 with the team struggling in the Bundesliga and out of the German Cup.

By Ben McFadyean.Nuri Sahin’s Dortmund team was once again overwhelmed by a significantly less impressive side in the form of the Serie A’s seventh-placed Bologna side, that have only won once

The Turkish trainer’s departure comes after Dortmund’s worst Bundesliga performance in a decade, leaving them in tenth place with seven wins, seven losses and four draws, with an uphill battle for Champions League qualification. Dortmund’s last win came away from home in Wolfsburg on December 22, while the previous win came nearly a month earlier.