Stuttgart have confirmed the sacking of coach Markus Babbel after yet another draw had left Stuttgart mired in relegation.

The decision was widely expected after the club called a press conference earlier in the day.

A club statement read: "Markus Babbel is no longer the coach of Stuttgart.

"The board has today relieved head coach Markus Babbel and his two assistant coaches Rainer Widmayer and Alexander Zorniger of their duties."

Babbel's position came under threat after he presided over an eight-game winless run in the Bundesliga which has seen the 2007 champions slide alarmingly down the table and into the relegation zone.

After yesterday's 1-1 draw with 10-man Bochum, over 2000 Stuttgart fans protested outside the Mercedes-Benz Arena, where Babbel, director of sport Horst Heldt and club president Erwin Staudt were holding crisis talks.

Babbel emerged from the meeting to say that he was not going to be rushed into making a decision on his future, but events overtook him today.

The removal of Babbel comes just three days before Stuttgart contest a crucial Champions League game against Unirea Urziceni, where victory would see the German side progress to the knockout stage.

Babbel took over from Armin Veh at the Stuttgart helm on November 23 last year, just days before a UEFA Cup tie at Sampdoria.

The 37-year-old was given special dispensation to stay on as coach until the end of the season despite not holding recognised coaching badges.

The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich defender nevertheless led the Swabians from mid-table obscurity to third place come the end of last season, sealing a place in the Champions League in the process.