Dortmund drama: Sven Mislintat out, Emre Can leads charge for revival

The 52-year-old was informed of his dismissal by sporting director Lars Ricken, as confirmed by the club on Thursday.

Mislintat returned to Dortmund in May to take up the role of technical director, a position he held after previously serving as the club's chief scout. However, internal conflicts quickly escalated, with Mislintat reportedly stepping beyond his designated responsibilities.

According to Sport Bild, he even attempted to usurp the role of sporting director from Sebastian Kehl.

The fallout from these internal disputes led to Mislintat's exit. Hans-Joachim Watzke, speaking at the SPOBIS conference in Hamburg, acknowledged the need for better synergy among Dortmund's leadership. "It's all about the question: Do the three of them work in harmony? That still needs to be optimized," Watzke said, referring to Ricken, Kehl, and Mislintat.

He highlighted the challenges of managing strong personalities in football, stating, "There are always strong egos in football, and everyone tries to test their limits."

Watzke, who will step down as CEO at year's end, has handed over sporting decisions to Ricken. "I told him (Lars Ricken): 'You make the decision. You decide what happens in the sporting area,'" Watzke remarked, emphasizing his new role outside of sporting matters.

In related news, new head coach Niko Kovac has confirmed that Emre Can will continue to wear the captain's armband. "I see Emre as a leading player. He remains the captain, I've already spoken to him today," Kovac said during a press conference on Tuesday.

With Dortmund languishing in 11th place in the Bundesliga, Kovac is keen on steering the team towards recovery. "We are here at BVB, and the goal is to get the maximum out of it... Hope comes from hard work," he added, promising resilience and effort in the upcoming matches.

This strategic shift at Dortmund comes at a critical time as they aim to climb the league standings and restore their competitive edge. The focus now will be on whether this new management and leadership structure can bring the desired harmony and success back to the club.