Markus Weinzierl will not be on the sidelines at Augsburg next season, after informing the club of his decision to step down as head coach.

Weinzierl, who returned for a second stint as Augsburg coach in April 2021, is out of contract on 30 June 2022 and announced he will not be extending it.

"I told the players it was my last game," the 47-year-old told Sky after overseeing a 2-1 win over relegated Greuther Fürth in Augsburg's final outing of 2021/22. "I've been deliberating my future these last few months. I would have liked to have stayed longer like my first spell, but I've decided I won't be signing a new deal."

Augsburg finished the 2021/22 season in 14th place, five points above the relegation play-off spot and 10 clear of the automatic drop zone. They ended the previous campaign in 13th, with a three-point cushion on the bottom three, Weinzierl having returned to the club with three games to go.

Weinzierl oversaw 38 competitive matches all told, adding to his 154 in charge between July 2012 and June 2016. He ranks as Augsburg's most successful coach, most notably steering the Bavarian outfit into the UEFA Europa League after a fifth-placed finish in the 2014/15 Bundesliga. Between his two Augsburg tenures, he coached Schalke and VfB Stuttgart.

Weinzierl won 10 of 34 Bundesliga matches in 2021/22, drawing eight and losing 15. - IMAGO/kolbert-press/Ulrich Gamel/IMAGO/kolbert-press

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"His decision was surprising for us all after the game on Saturday, but we have to accept it," said managing director Stefan Reuter in the club's official confirmation of the departure.

"We'd like to thank Markus, our coaching and backroom staff, and the whole team for their efforts this season just gone, in which we ensured we avoided relegation from the Bundesliga for the 11th year in a row," Reuter told the team on Monday as Weinzierl formally said goodbye to his players ahead of the summer break.

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