Bremen sacks head coach Nouri

Alexander Nouri on Monday became the third German Bundesliga coach sacked this season when Werder Bremen fired him with the club second from bottom in the table and winless this season.

Bremen's 0-3 thumping at home to mid-table Augsburg on Sunday was the last straw for Werder's board after cries of "Nouri out!" were heard by home fans after the final whistle.

The defeat left Bremen 17th with just five points from five draws and as many defeats in Germany's top flight.

The 38-year-old Nouri took charge in September 2016, taking it from the relegation places to challenge for a place in Europe before it eventually finished eighth last season.

"Alex took over during a very difficult situation last year and successfully mastered it, for that we'd like to thank him," said Bremen's CEO Frank Baumann as Nouri bid farewell before Monday's training session.

Florian Kohfeldt, the coach of the club's Under-23 team, will take charge for Friday evening's league match against Eintracht Frankfurt.

He will be helped by former Germany international and Bremen midfielder Tim Borowski.

"We are convinced that this team of coaches can give a new impetus to the team in the coming days and solve the uncertainty," added Baumann.

Bremen qualified for the UEFA Champions League in 2010, but has struggled to stay out of the relegation places in recent seasons.

Nouri is the third Bundesliga coach fired this season after VfL Wolfsburg sacked Andries Jonker in September before league leader Bayern Munich showed Carlo Ancelotti the door five weeks ago.

AFP

Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, meanwhile, lamented drawing holder Borussia Dortmund in the third round of the German Cup in a repeat of last season's semifinals.

The two heavyweight giants of German football are already due to meet in the Bundesliga in Dortmund this Saturday, but will clash again in the last 16 of the Cup at Munich's Allianz Arena on December 19 or 20.

"That's come very early. That will be an intense game just before Christmas, which no one wants," rued Rummenigge on Monday.

"Normally that would be a final, which we have often had in the last few years."

Bayern has won the German Cup 18 times while Dortmund lifted the trophy for the fourth time by beating Frankfurt in last season's final.

Borussia beat the Bavarians 3-2 in the semifinals after Bayern and Dortmund had met in the German Cup finals of 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Dortmund trounced Bayern 5-2 in 2012 before the Bavarians gained revenge with a 2-0 victory in 2014, also winning two years later when the final was decided by penalties after a goalless draw.

It is the second tough cup draw Bayern has been dealt this season after needing penalties to see off RB Leipzig last Wednesday in the second round.

"First a tough second-round game, now again in the third round — these are important games for us," Rummenigge said.

Bayern defender Mats Hummels, who played for Dortmund until 2016, was equally unimpressed.

"This game has been seen more often than 'Sissi' or 'Dinner for One'," quipped Hummels on Twitter, referring to two movies which are extremely popular in Germany over the festive period.

However, Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin is clearly relishing the clash, tweeting: "I'd say, 'All-In'" after the draw.