Huub Stevens has paid the price for Schalke’s recent slump in results and has been sacked as head coach of the club.

Schalke have picked up only two points in their previous six Bundesliga fixtures and have fallen to seventh in the table after the surprise 3-1 home defeat to Freiburg.

Before this run, Schalke had made their best start to a domestic campaign in 14 years but the club nevertheless has decided to remove the 59-year-old Dutch coach before the winter break.

Schalke’s U17 coach Jens Keller is set to take over on an interim basis and a press conference has been organised for later on Sunday.

Stevens began his tenure in September 2011 and guided Schalke to third in the league last campaign as well as into last-16 of this season’s Champions League after topping Group B.