Dortmund remain tight-lipped over who will coach the club next season, but Sebastian Rode has broken ranks. The midfielder says the players "fully expect to have a new coach next season."
Image: imago/DeFodi
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Speaking to Sky the day after the 2-1 home defeat to Mainz that has put Borussia Dortmund's Champions League qualification in doubt, Sebastian Rode said he wasn't expecting to see much of Peter Stöger after next week's trip to Hoffenheim.
"That's what we assume," the former Bayern Munich midfielder said. "The way he expresses himself in the locker room [means] we fully expect to have a new coach next season."
Stöger, who took Cologne back to the top flight and then in to the Europa League before being sacked after failing to win any of his 14 league games this season, took over at Dotmund on a temporary basis when the club sacked Dutch coach Peter Bosz in December.
While results have been decent enough to leave Dortmund's European fate in their own hands, there have been few fireworks under the Austrian coach, with Saturday's tepid defeat to Mainz a low point.
Sebastian Rode (left) hasn't featured in the Bundesliga this seasonImage: Getty Images/Bongarts/O. Hardt
Club chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke was angered by Rode's commens, telling German football magazine kicker on Monday morning that the midfilder will be "sanctioned accordingly" for complicating Stöger's situation. Watzke and sporting director Michael Zorc have both suggested that the 52-year-old is in the frame for a permanent position, but Rode's words cast doubt on that.
Nice boss Lucien Favre has long been regarded as the favorite to get the gig in the close season and BVB are apparently willing to meet his €3 million ($3.5 million) release clause. Favre has previously coached Hertha Berlin and Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga and Nice are currently 7th in the French top division.
After an injury-hit stint at Dortmund since joining from Bayern in 2016, Rode's future is also unclear. He has not appeared at all in the league this term but remains confident of a future at Signal Iduna Park.
"We didn't go as far as saying [that I should fulfill my contract]," the 27-year-old said. "First, it's about me getting healthy again. The plan is to be fit again for the summer preparation and then it's about presenting myself to the new coach. If I manage to find back to my old level then he will count on me."
Bundesliga Matchday 33 in pictures
Hamburg are on the brink of relegation after losing to Frankfurt. Schalke will return to the Champions League next season, while Mainz secured the club's place in the Bundesliga next season with a win in Dortmund.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Dedert
Will the clock stop ticking?
Hamburg headed to Frankfurt for yet another do-or-die game, but the home side proved to be too strong an opponent for Christian Titz's men and they lost 3-0. Eintracht Frankfurt's ultras reminded HSV that their famous clock, that currently shows the 53 years that the club spent in the Bundesliga, could be reset to zero due to the increasing likelihood of relegation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Dedert
Another shot at Europe?
Borussia Mönchengladbach's chances of reaching a European spot were not looking great prior to the game against Freiburg. However, Thorgan Hazard (left) and co. managed to secure an important 3-1 win over Christian Streich's side and keep their hopes of qualifying to Europe alive, albeit only just.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Federico Gambarini
Push the button!
Stuttgart have turned their season around impressively since the appointment of Tayfon Korkut. VfB went from trying to avoid relegation to competing for European football thanks to a series of impressive performances, a trend which continued against Hoffenheim. Mario Gomez scored twice to keep the home side within two points of a Europa League spot.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Murat
This is goodbye
Salif Sane was one of the reasons Hannover staked their claim in the Bundesliga's mid-table. The Senegalese defender will move to Schalke at the end of the season after five seasons with 96, but not before sealing his last home appearance at the HDI Arena with a goal, helping his side to secure a 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Pförtner
In deep trouble
Wolfsburg's worst-ever season is not getting any better. The Wolves have have recorded yet another loss, this time it was 4-1 against European hopefuls RB Leipzig. Bruno Labbadia's side is currently 16th, the relegation playoff position. They'll need at to beat relegated Cologne next week to be sure of escaping automatic relegation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Woitas
Farewell to a legend
Borussia Dortmund may have lost an important match in the fight for securing Champions League football next season, 2-1 at home to relegation strugglers Mainz, but this match was all about Roman Weidenfeller. After 16 years at the club, the goalkeeper will hang up his gloves at the end of the season. As the final whistle was heard, Weidenfeller went to thank the fans at the Südtribune in person.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Meissner
Champions League return secured
Domenico Tedesco has done it. Schalke will return to Europe's most prestigious club competition next season, after securing the Bundesliga's second place with a 2-1 win away at Augsburg. American midfielder Weston McKennie (center) and the rest of Schalke's players made sure to celebrate the feat accordingly.
