Borussia Dortmund have parted ways with head coach Nuri Şahin in the wake of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League defeat at Bologna – the team’s fourth in as many games in 2025, according to the official website of Bundesliga.

Dortmund squandered a lead to lose 2-1 in Italy, meaning they have now won only one of their last nine competitive fixtures stretching back to November. It’s a run of form that has prompted the club to make a change.

"We really appreciate Nuri and his work, wanted to work together for a long time and until recently had hoped we could turn things around," said managing director Lars Ricken in the club's statement on Wednesday morning. "However, we have now lost belief in being able to achieve our sporting goals with the current setup. This decision hurts me personally, but it was now unavoidable after the game in Bologna."

Şahin took charge of Borussia last June, succeeding Edin Terzić, under whom the former midfielder had joined as assistant in January 2024. The ex-BVB, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Werder Bremen and Antalyaspor player oversaw 27 competitive fixtures at the helm of the first team, winning 12, losing 11 and drawing four.

The 36-year-old leaves the Signal Iduna Park with the team down in 10th in the Bundesliga on the back of defeats to Bayer Leverkusen, Holstein Kiel and Eintracht Frankfurt this year. Their total of 25 points from 18 games – six outside the top four – is their lowest at this stage since Jürgen Klopp’s final season, when they sat bottom with only 16 points but still ended up qualifying for Europe.

The Bologna loss also saw BVB drop to 13th in the Champions League’s league table, although still well placed to qualify at least for the knockout play-offs ahead of the final game at home to Shakhtar Donetsk next week.

However, Dortmund were knocked out of the DFB Cup in the second round by Wolfsburg back in October.

Şahin also said of his departure: "Unfortunately, we haven't managed to live up to Borussia Dortmund's sporting ambitions this season. I wish this special club all the best."

A decision on his successor will be announced shortly. Their next game is at home to Bremen on Saturday, followed by that European encounter with Shakhtar a week on Wednesday.