Niko Kovač appointed Dortmund head coach

Borussia Dortmund have named former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovač as their new head coach.

The Bundesliga side parted ways with Nuri Şahin last week following their Champions League defeat to Bologna, marking their fourth consecutive loss across all competitions.

Kovač, 53, has signed an 18-month contract and will officially take charge after Dortmund’s upcoming Bundesliga clash against Heidenheim.

“We have had intensive discussions with Niko Kovac over the past few days and have deliberately taken the time to get to know each other and our expectations better,” Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken said.

“We are in a challenging sporting situation and are sure that in Niko we have found the coach who is able to master it.”

Kovac said: “All those responsible at BVB (Dortmund) gave us a very good feeling in the talks, so I am convinced that we can achieve a lot together in the future.”

Niko Kovac’s appointment follows Borussia Dortmund securing a play-off spot in the Champions League, having finished 10th in the initial league phase with 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, Kovac’s new team is currently 11th, with seven wins from 19 matches, sitting 22 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.