Keller fired

Bundesliga club Schalke have parted ways with their head coach Jens Keller, who took the role two years ago. The club has confirmed on Tuesday that Roberto Di Matteo will be the club's new coach.

There had been ongoing speculation on Keller's future, especially following a 2-1 defeat against Hoffenheim on the weekend. Schalke have recorded just two wins out of ten matches this season and they currently sit at 11th on the Bundesliga table on seven points.

The team was knocked out of the German Cup in the first round this season but have enjoyed a relatively good start in the Champions League, drawing 1-1 at Chelsea before matching that result against Maribor in their second group game.

Despite a recent derby win against arch rivals Dortmund, the step of sacking Keller had to be taken, according to the club's commercial manager, Horst Heldt, on Schalke's website.

"There is just not enough consistency to achieve our sporting goals," he said.

Replacement found

Roberto Di Matteo, who was previously coach at English Premier League club Chelsea, will be on the sidelines for the Bundesliga club's next game against Hertha Berlin on October 18.

The 44-year-old Swiss-born coach played for Italy in the 1990s and coached Chelsea to a FA Cup and Champions League win in 2012.

"We hope that changing coaches will create a new dynamic at our club," said Schalke's Heldt.

"We are convinced that Roberto Di Matteo will stabilize our team and that he will manage to achieve our goals in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League," he added.

Keller's sacking is the second in the German top flight this season, after Hamburg sacked Mirko Slomka last month.

jr,kms/al (Reuters, SID)