Stuttgart sack coach Markus Babbel: Bild

Struggling Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart on Sunday sacked coach Markus Babbel just days before their crucial Champions League clash, according to a report by German daily Bild.

Bild.de report the 37-year-old was sacked less than 24 hours after his side drew 1-1 with Bochum which left them third from the bottom of the German league with just two wins to their credit all season with 12 points from 15 games.

Ironically, Stuttgart still have the chance to reach the knock-out stages of the Champions League if they beat Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni at home on Wednesday.

After Saturday’s draw, a group of several thousand angry Stuttgart fans, demanding Babbel’s resignation, squared off with police wearing riot gear outside Stuttgart’s Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Several officers were injured and a handful of fans were arrested.

Despite being crowned German champions in 2007, Stuttgart have now gone eight league games without a win and Babbel, who took charge in November 2008, looks set to become the fourth Bundesliga coach to be sacked this season.

He would join Marcel Koller (Bochum), Dieter Hecking (Hanover 96) and Lucien Favre (Hertha Berlin) who also were dismissed by top-flight clubs here.

VfB stuttgart have announced they will hold a press conference at 6pm (1700GMT) on Sunday to explain the situation.