Hamburg SV have sacked coach Mirko Slomka after the former European champions' bad start to the Bundesliga season that has seen them drop to last place, the club said on Tuesday.

The 47-year-old Slomka, who took over at Hamburg in February, was informed of the decision on Monday, club officials told reporters.

Slomka was tasked with lifting them away from relegation last season but they still needed a playoff to stay up and protect their perfect record of having played in the top division every season since its creation in 1963.

The northern German club then got off to a bad start in the league this season, losing two of their three games and drawing the other to stay in last place on one point, despite spending big on the transfer market.

Newcomers Lewis Holtby, U.S. international Julian Green and winger Nicolai Mueller have so far failed to deliver with Hamburg having failed to score yet while Swiss international Valon Behrami and centre back Cleber have failed to plug the defence, letting in five goals in three games.

Hamburg, who lost 2-0 to Slomka's former club Hanover 96 last week, take on champions Bayern Munich on Saturday.

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