Hertha Berlin dismiss head coach Bruno Labbadia
Hertha Berlin have relieved head coach Bruno Labbadia of his duties in the wake of Matchday 18's 4-1 home loss to Werder Bremen.
Labbadia - who only took charge in April 2020 - leaves Hertha with the capital club sitting two points above the relegation play-off spot, following a run of just two wins in their last 11 matches.
"Week in, week out, Bruno and his coaching staff have invested a lot of hard work into the team's development and we would like to thank him greatly for that," said Hertha chairman Carsten Schmidt. "Ultimately, however, the return of 17 points from 18 games leaves us in a very precarious situation. After much deliberation, we feel that a change of head coach can give the team fresh impetus. We will clarify his successor as head coach in the coming days."
Labbadia, 54, was Hertha's fourth coach of a difficult 2019/20 campaign, in which he oversaw nine league games (W4, D1, L4). The Old Lady finished 10th in the final standings and kicked off the new season with a 4-1 win in Bremen, but have taken 14 points from the last 51 on offer (W3, D5, L9). They were also eliminated from the 2020/21 DFB Cup by second-tier Eintracht Braunschweig in the first round.
Managing director of sport Michael Preetz has also been dismissed after being a close part of the club for almost 25 years, and specifically part of the side's management for almost 12 years. Arne Friedrich will take over form Preetz until the end of the 2020/21 season.
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"I am incredibly thankful for the many years that I have been able to play and work at my beloved Hertha, both on and off the pitch," said Michael Preetz. "It has always been intense work, with all the highs and lows that come with working for a football club. We have taken huge strides during that time to become a club where we can say - and I'm convinced of this - that the future belongs to Berlin"
Winless in four, Hertha begin life after Labbadia and Preetz with a trip to Eintracht Frankfurt on 30 January, before hosting defending champions Bayern Munich on 5 February.
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