SINSHEIM, Germany (AP) — German club Hoffenheim fired American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo on Monday with the team sliding toward the Bundesliga relegation zone and failing to score in its last three league games.

Matarazzo had been in charge since February 2023 and leaves with the team in 15th place in the 18-team Bundesliga and mid-table in the Europa League.

The team’s only win from its last six games in all competitions was against second-division Nuremberg in the German Cup. Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Augsburg was the third Bundesliga game in a row that Hoffenheim didn’t score.

It’s a far cry from last season, when Matarazzo’s team won praise for finishing seventh in the Bundesliga to qualify for the Europa League, and finished on a high by upsetting Bayern Munich 4-2 on the last day of the season, causing Stuttgart to overtake Bayern for second in the standings.

The club had been in a relegation battle when Matarazzo took over and steered it to safety.

Hoffenheim fires American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo after poor start to season | iNFOnews.ca — Hoffenheim’s head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo gestures during the Europa League opening phase soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Olympique Lyon in Sinsheim, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

Matarazzo’s task was complicated this season by backroom upheaval as Hoffenheim fired sporting director Alexander Rosen and technical director Bastian Huber in the offseason. Pirmin Schwegler subsequently resigned as director of the first team.

Hoffenheim turned to Sturm Graz for replacements with Andreas Schicker and Paul Pajduch joining as sporting and technical directors, respectively.

Graz coach Christian Ilzer is reportedly a candidate to take over from Matarazzo.

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