Bayern Munich have fired coach Jurgen Klinsmann and appointed Jupp Heynckes for the final five games of the season. Klinsmann’s fate was sealed after a meeting with the club’s hierarchy today. He has been in charge of the defending Bundesliga champions since last July, but failed to take the club to the top of the table.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Schalke left the club three points adrift of league leaders Wolfsburg with five games of the season to go.

Klinsmann’s fate was sealed after a meeting with club chairman

Rummenigge, general manager Uli Hoeness and director Karl Hopfner today.

Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed the change at the helm was necessary due to disappointing recent results.

He said: “It was a difficult decision, but the results from the last weeks, the way they came about and especially the situation five rounds before the end of the season forced us to act due to due our responsibility towards the club.

“With Jupp Heynckes and (assistant) Hermann Gerland we have two experienced coaches, to whom we have handed the management of the team until the end of the season.”

Heynckes, 63, who was Bayern head coach from 1987 to 1991, will take over from tomorrow and will be assisted by Gerland, who has been coaching the reserve team since 2001.