Terzic departs Dortmund after bust-up with star defender

Edin Terzic has surprisingly decided to leave Borussia Dortmund with immediate effect. Despite having a deal in place for the 2024/25 campaign, the coach asked the club to terminate his contract. Terzic’s final match at the helm came just 12 days ago in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium. Dortmund was beaten by Real Madrid in the European title-deciding match.

“After the game at Wembley, I asked for a meeting with the club’s senior management team, because after nine years at BVB – including six on the coaching staff and two and a half as head coach – I feel that the club’s new era should begin with a new man on the touchline,” Terzic said in a statement.

“Everyone close to me knows that this has been a very difficult decision for me to take over the last few weeks, but after intensive discussions, my fundamental feeling has not changed. I wish Borussia Dortmund the very best, thank you and see you soon.”

Dortmund had rough Bundesliga season despite European success

Despite leading his team to the Champions League final, Terzic endured a tough domestic campaign with Dortmund. The BVB ultimately finished fifth in the Bundesliga table, the team’s worst finish in nine years. Despite the disappointing place in the standings, Germany will have five clubs in the 2024/25 Champions League. Dortmund was also knocked out by Stuttgart in the round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal in December.

Terzic initially began working for the German side back in 2010 as a scout and youth coach under Jurgen Klopp. He then joined forces with manager Slaven Bilić at Besiktas and West Ham between 2013 and 2017. Following his four-year stint under the Croatian coach, Terzic rejoined Dortmund as Lucien Favre’s assistant in 2018.

After Favre was fired in 2020, Terzic took over the team during his first spell with Dortmund. He eventually led the club to the DFB-Pokal title in 2021 before transitioning to the sporting director of the BVB. Nevertheless, Terzic took over as manager once again in May of 2022. The German-Croatian coach collected one trophy and recorded a win rate of 59% during his collective time as the club’s manager.

Coach clashed with player ahead of Champions League final

News of Terzic’s departure may be shocking, but the coach did reportedly clash with a star player before the massive match against Real. Veteran defender Mats Hummels publicly criticized his coach’s tactics just days before the game. The center-back told Bild that he was “furious” and “felt insulted” with how Dortmund played in the Bundesliga.

Terzic did not appreciate the comments, particularly so close to the Champions League final. The German news outlet even claimed that one of the two key figures in the team would depart this summer. Hummels is set to be out of contract, as his latest deal expires later this month. However, the defender could now be set to sign a fresh extension now that Terzic has officially departed.

Dortmund will now be on the search for a new manager to lead the club into the 2024/25 season. The position is widely seen as one of the top coaching jobs in all of Germany. Former BVB midfielder Nuri Şahin is reportedly a candidate for the role. The coach is currently an assistant with the club.

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