Schneider replaces Labbadia at struggling Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart have parted comany with coach Bruno Labbadia three days before their UEFA Europa League play-off second leg at home to HNK Rijeka and appointed Thomas Schneider as his replacment.

Stuttgart, without a Bundesliga point, announced the departure of Labbadia and his assistant Erdinç Sözer following Sunday's 2-1 loss at FC Augsburg, their fourth successive reverse in all competitions and the same scoreline by which they were beaten by Rijeka in the first leg. They have won only one of their seven matches this season.

Former Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Hamburger SV coach Labbadia had been at the club since December 2010. His replacement is former Stuttgart player Schneider, who had been coaching the club's under-17 squad. The 40-year-old helped Stuttgart win the league title in 1992 and the German Cup five years later.

Schneider, who has signed a two-year contract, said: "It's a great challenge, one that I will approach with the necessary respect, but I'm very pleased and full of confidence."

Stuttgart president Bernd Wahler added: "Bruno Labbadia has done good work at VfB over the past two years but we want to provide fresh impetus with this change. With Thomas Schneider, we have someone with Stuttgart in his blood, who has done great work with the youth setup over the past two years and claimed the title with the U17s this year. We have complete faith in him."