Bayer 04 Leverkusen has relieved Sami Hyypiä of his duties as manager, with youth team head coach Sascha Lewandowski will take over first-team duties until the end of the season.

Leverkusen suffered a 2-1 loss to Hamburg on Friday.

"It was a very difficult decision as Sami has done a fantastic job for us in the last two years," said Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Völler. "What he and his coaching staff managed to get out of our team in the first half of the season far exceeded our expectations and earned him widespread praise. It makes this decision all the more difficult. However, the developments of the last few weeks gave us no other option but to go our separate ways. We have to do everything in our power to save our season."