European football: stricken Wolfsburg change coaches, Lens revive title hopes

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Wolfsburg sacked their head coach, Daniel Bauer, on Sunday after the club’s managing director for sport departed on Saturday with the club mired in the relegation zone.

The dismissals of Bauer and Peter Christiansen came after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Hamburg, which prompted an on-field melee between both sets of players, and angry scenes from fans at the Volkswagen Arena. Veteran coach Dieter Hecking has been announced as Bauer’s replacement.

Bauer, who was previously the club’s Under-19 coach, took over from Paul Simonis in November and becomes their second managerial casualty this term. Wolfsburg’s winless run in the Bundesliga stretches to eight games, with the VW-backed club 17th in the table and at risk of their first-ever relegation from the top division.

Wolfsburg fans attended the team’s training session on Friday in an effort to rouse the players, and displayed a banner before the game warning it was their last chance. At full-time, masked supporters threw black flares onto the field and unfurled a new message: “Chance wasted, support withdrawn.”

The stricken club, title winners in the 2008-09 season, have turned to 61-year-old Hecking, who led Wolfsburg to DFB-Pokal and Supercup trophies in 2015. Hecking has been out of work since leaving second-tier Bochum early this season.

St Pauli’s goalless draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday means Wolfsburg are four points from guaranteed safety, with Werder Bremen currently two points above them and sitting in the relegation playoff spot.

In Ligue 1, Lens moved within a point of leaders Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday after beating bottom side Metz 3-0 at home.

Saudi international Saud Abdulhamid drilled in the opening goal late in the first half and Florian Thauvin doubled the hosts’ immediately after the break. Amadou Haïdara wrapped up the victory on 52 minutes as Lens won for the first time in three matches to relaunch their pursuit of PSG, who lost 3-1 at home to Monaco on Friday.

Florian Thauvin celebrates after scoring Lens’ second goal at home to Metz.

The day’s biggest match is in Italy, where Milan host Inter in a Derby della Madonnina that pits second against first. Milan, 10 points behind, need a win if they are to have any realistic hope of overhauling their neighbours. Roma will seek to strengthen their Champions League qualification hopes when they visit Genoa.

In Serie A’s earlier games, struggling Verona earned a surprise 2-1 win at Bologna, with Kieron Bowie firing the decisive goal to end a run of 12 games without a victory. They still sit seven points from safety after Fiorentina drew 0-0 with Parma, while Cremonese drop into the bottom three with a 2-1 defeat at Lecce.

Villarreal stayed on track for a Champions League place and moved level on points with Atlético Madrid after a 2-1 home win over Elche. Tajon Buchanan fired the hosts in front, with Santiago Mouriño adding the second before half-time.