Bayer Leverkusen boots manager Schmidt

Mired in its worst Bundesliga campaign in 14 years and on the verge of a Champions League exit, struggling Bayer Leverkusen has fired manager Roger Schmidt.

Saturday's 6-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund - Leverkusen's 11th league defeat of the season - was Schmidt's last act at the helm.

A club statement indicated a successor will be named at a later date. The decision to part ways with Schmidt came on the recommendation of the management board and executive committee.

"I consider Roger Schmidt to be an absolutely top coach," said Bayer sporting director Rudi Voller. "But we had to act quickly if we don't want to lose sight of our goals.

"The first thing we have to do is to get new impetus and instill some consistency. Our team has great quality, but we have shown that far too rarely this season.

"Roger Schmidt is capable of finding success again."

Now stuck in ninth place and with the club's chances of qualifying for European competition fading by the week, Leverkusen has tried to stop the bleeding.

Schmidt appeared to question the commitment of some of his players in the buildup to the weekend's match, but it was ultimately the 49-year-old who couldn't find any consistency. A stretch of five losses in seven contests across all competitions spelt the end of the German's tenure.

Leverkusen qualified for the Champions League on three consecutive occasions and developed a squad of young, promising players under Schmidt's tutelage.

But Schmidt's side dropped a 4-2 result at home to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 tie, putting the German outfit at a significant disadvantage for the reverse fixture.