Dortmund sack head coach Lucien Favre

BERLIN -- Borussia Dortmund have sacked its head coach Lucien Favre and his assistant Manfred Stefes with immediate effect, the "BVB" confirmed in an official statement on Sunday.

Despite having booked their ticket to the knockout stage for the UEFA Champions League as Group F leaders, the club reacted on poor performances in the Bundesliga and yesterday's 5-1 hammering to newly promoted Stuttgart.

"It was a difficult decision to take. However, we think that our goals for the season are at great risk due to recent negative developments. That is why we had to take this step," said Dortmund's sporting Michael Zorc via the club's official website.

The fifth placed "BVB" sit five points adrift from front runners Bayern Munich and have recorded six wins, one draw and four defeats in 11 games so far this Bundesliga season.

The 63-year-old coach took the reins in July 2018 and helped Dortmund to finish as Bundesliga runners-up in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. Favre stood at the side-lines in 110 encounters and reaped 68 victories, 17 draws and 25 defeats.

"We are grateful to Lucien Favre for his excellent work over the past two and half years," Zorc added.

For now, former co-trainer Edin Terzic has been appointed as the interim head coach, alongside with assistant Otto Addo, until the end of the current campaign.

Terzic and Addo will already be in charge of the training for the upcoming Bundesliga encounter with Werder Bremen on December 15.

Three days later, Borussia Dortmund clash with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga before facing second-division outfit Braunschweig in the 2nd round of the German Cup on December 22 for the last competitive match in 2020.