Struggling Hanover 96 sacked head coach Andre Breitenreiter on Sunday in the wake of their 5-1 mauling at Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.

The away defeat left Hanover eight games without a win in Germany's top flight and only goal difference keeps them off the bottom of the table, despite conceding five goals at Dortmund on Saturday.

Hanover hope to name Breitenreiter's successor "in the coming days" before their next game at high-flying Leipzig on Friday.

Possible candidates reportedly in contention are ex-Dortmund coach Peter Stoeger and Mirko Slomka, who has coached Schalke, Hanover and Hamburg.

"Andre and his team have really worked hard in recent weeks and months to put the team back on the road to success. Unfortunately, it didn't work," said Hanover's team manager Horst Heldt following a crisis meeting.

"That's why we came to the conclusion to separate."

Horst said the aim of Hanover's new coach is clear, "we also want to play in the first division next year."

Breitenreiter, who started his career at Hanover, took charge in March 2017 and guided them to promotion back to the Bundesliga last season, but the team has struggled back in the top flight.

He is the third coached sacked in the Bundesliga this season after Heiko Herrlich was shown the door at Bayer Leverkusen and Tayfun Korkut was given his marching orders at Stuttgart.