March 17, (THEWILL) – Wolfsburg have parted ways with manager Niko Kovac following a poor run of form that has left the club perilously close to the Bundesliga relegation zone. The decision was made in the aftermath of Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to Augsburg, which extended Wolfsburg’s winless streak in the league to 11 matches.
The former Bayern Munich and Croatia boss was appointed by Wolfsburg in the summer of 2022, guiding the club to a mid-table finish in his first season. However, Kovac has failed to replicate that level of performance in the current campaign, with Wolfsburg languishing in 14th place, just six points above the relegation play-off spot.
In a statement, Wolfsburg’s managing director Marcel Schaefer cited the need to “give the team new impetus” as the primary reason for dismissing Kovac. “After the defeat against FC Augsburg, analysing the game and the overall situation, we came to the decision to end our cooperation,” Schaefer said, adding that the club “regrets the development.”
Kovac’s dismissal marks the end of his second stint in the Bundesliga, having previously managed Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich. Despite winning the league and cup double with Bayern in 2019, he was dismissed midway through the following season due to poor results. A brief spell at Monaco preceded his return to Germany with Wolfsburg in 2023.
Alongside Kovac, his brother and assistant manager, Robert Kovac, has also departed the club with immediate effect. Wolfsburg have not announced a replacement as of yet, but are expected to have a new manager in place ahead of their crucial clash against Werder Bremen after the international break.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
