Łukasz Piszczek named one of Nuri Şahin's new assistant coaches at Borussia Dortmund
Łukasz Piszczek has returned to Borussia Dortmund, the two-time Bundesliga winner having been appointed as one of three assistants to former teammate and the club's new head coach Nuri Şahin.
Piszczek spent 11 years at Dortmund as a player, making 382 appearances in all competitions between 2010 and 2021, and enjoying a key role in the team that Jürgen Klopp led to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012.
Since retiring from playing professional football in summer 2021, the now 39-year-old had been working in a player-coach role with hometown club LKS Goczalkowice of the Polish lower leagues.
Joao Tralhao and Ertugrul Arslan have also been named as assistant coaches. Sebastian Geppert and former BVB midfielder Sven Bender, who both worked with Sahin as co-assistants under Edin Terzić during the second half of 2023/24, will leave the club on 30 June.
"We quickly built up a great deal of trust during the talks" explained Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who also played for the Klopp vintage. "With this setup, our coaching team around Nuri is in really good shape. The three of them will help us achieve our goals, thanks to their different levels of experience in various areas."
Dortmund managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, added: "With Joao, Ertugrul and Łukasz, we've got a trio that brings a lot of expertise and good ideas, and will work well with Nuri. We're convinced that their different strengths will help us to have a successful season."
Watch: Łukasz Piszczek's 2021 Dortmund send-off
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Dortmund were UEFA Champions League runners-up in 2023/24, but finished fifth domestically - still enough for another season of Champions League football, thanks in no small part to their run to the final. Terzić stepped down on 13 July, with Şahin swiftly installed as his replacement on a three-year deal.
Şahin's Dortmund begin pre-season training on 10 July, with a trip to Japan part of their preparations. Die Schwarzgelben face minnows Phönix Lübeck in the DFB Cup first round on 18 August, before kicking off their pursuit of a first Bundesliga title since 2011/12 a week later. The fixture list will be released on 4 July.
Related news
Kauã Santos named September's Rookie of the Month!
Frankfurt's Brazilian goalkeeper took your votes ahead of Bayern's Michael Olise and Fabian Rieder of Stuttgart.
Club-by-club historical guide: Karlsruhe
The club that brought us Oliver Kahn enjoyed their Bundesliga heyday in the 1990s, finishing sixth three times and reaching the 1993/94 UEFA Cup semi-finals.
Club-by-club historical guide: Fortuna Düsseldorf
Having been one of the Bundesliga's leading lights in the 1970s, Fortuna have battled to restore their former stature since.