Werder Bremen dismiss coach Steffen with drop looming

Bundesliga strugglers Werder Bremen on Sunday sacked coach Horst Steffen after a run of 10 matches without a win which has plunged them into a relegation fight.

The four-time German champions are winless since early November and sit 15th, one point above the relegation play-off spot.

"It was a tough decision, but we are no longer convinced of the fact that Horst was the person to spark the team"s turnaround following this long run without victory," said sporting director Clemens Fritz.

Steffen, 56, was appointed in the summer after narrowly missing out on promotion with second-division Elversberg. He replaced Ole Werner, who is now the coach at RB Leipzig.

Bremen needed a stoppage-time equaliser to grab a point in a 1-1 home draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday. They have picked up just four points in their past 10 league games.

A number of recent high-profile signings, including former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita and Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, have failed to make an impact at the club.