Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund picks Nuri Sahin to replace Terzic

Sahin, who played 274 games for Dortmund, represents the “younger generation”, the team’s managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, said in the statement.

FILE PHOTO- Nuri Sahin (L) shakes hands with Edin Terzic during a training session. | Photo Credit: AP

Borussia Dortmund said Friday it had appointed Nuri Sahin as head coach, following the shock departure of Edin Terzic just weeks after guiding the German team to a European final.

“It is a great honour for me to be head coach of Borussia Dortmund,” Sahin said in a statement. “From day one we will do everything we can and work with energy and passion to make this club as successful as possible,” said the 35-year-old, who won the Bundesliga with Dortmund in 2011 as a player.

Sahin, who played 274 games for Dortmund, represented the “younger generation”, the team’s managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, said in the statement.

“As former players, we will work closely together and we have great ambitions,” said Ricken, himself a club legend after scoring in Dortmund’s 1997 Champions League final victory over Juventus.

Sahin was head coach of Turkish side Antalyaspor from 2021 to 2023, before returning to Dortmund in December. His former club called on his services to back up Terzic as head coach amid a difficult league campaign.

Perennial challenger Dortmund slumped in the Bundesliga, as unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s run of 11 straight titles. Dortmund ultimately finished fifth in the league, but made a surprise run to the Champions League final, where it lost to Real Madrid 2-0.

Terzic, a childhood Dortmund fan who worked his way up the ranks at the club, announced his resignation on Thursday. His exit came as a shock after the success in the top European club competition.

Dortmund on Friday also announced the departure of veteran defender Mats Hummels, after a total of 13 years at the club.