Borussia Dortmund have sacked head coach Lucien Favre following Saturday’s 5-1 home defeat to newly-promoted Stuttgart.
Defeat leaves Dortmund fifth in the Bundesliga, five points off the pace of leaders Bayern Munich, whose 24 points are matched by RB Leipzig.
By contrast, Dortmund have earned only four points in their last five matches, although they did make impressive progress in the Champions League, finishing first in Group F ahead of Lazio.
In a statement, the club said: “Borussia Dortmund have parted ways with head coach Lucien Favre.
"The club would like to thank Lucien for his dedication and wish him success in his future.
"Assistant coach Edin Terzic has been appointed as interim manager until the end of the current season. Terzic’s coaching team will be joined by Sebastian Geppert and Otto Addo."
Lucien Favre added: "I think it's a shame that we are parting ways here. We had two very successful years and have a team that would have played a successful season this year as well. I'm still convinced of that. "
Dortmund admitted, however, that it was a tough call to make.
"It is difficult for us to take this step," sporting director Michael Zorc said. "Nevertheless, we are of the opinion that the achievement of our goals for the season is at great risk due to the recent negative development in the current situation and that we must therefore act."
Club stalwart Mats Hummels had been critical of his coach's tactics following the 5-1 humbling, telling the press after the match: "The goals for 2-1, 4-1 and 5-1 all came from us losing the ball in a way that we should never have allowed to happen.
"Stuttgart played really well for the 3-1 lead, you have to say. They had a good plan, were aggressive and determined. We weren't. We were lacking concentration, among other things.
"We always try to play tiki-taka through small gaps. We lose the ball so often when we try that. If it works, it looks good. Unfortunately, it works in very few cases."
Favre had been in charge since taking over in the summer of 2018 and had led the club to two second-placed finishes in the Bundesliga as well as the last 16 of the Champions League on three occasions.
In 2019-20, he helped them to win the DFB Supercup, the only silverware he would claim at the helm.
This term, however, has proven more complicated amid the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and also the flux brought about by transfer speculation regarding Jadon Sancho.
The young England winger was linked with Manchester United throughout the summer but no transfer materialised. Sancho has not been able to regain his top level, with the 20-year-old waiting on his first league goal for the season, although he has posted three assists.
Dortmund are next due in action on Tuesday with an away match against Werder Bremen, while they face a trip to Union Berlin on Friday. They also have a DFB Pokal second-round encounter against Eintracht Braunschweig to play before the Christmas break begins.