Schalke have dismissed coach Christian Gross and other senior club officials in the wake of the latest defeats and internal turmoil at the Bundesliga's bottom club.
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Schalke crashed 5-1 at VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, a week after losing the derby match 4-0 against arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, amid reports that some players had asked the club leadership to get rid of Gross, who was appointed in late December.
As well as Gross, board member Jochen Schneider, assistant coach Rainer Widmayer, team manager Sascha Riether and fitness coach Werner Leuthard also have to go.
Academy chief Peter Knaebel has been put in charge of all sporting matters but a new coach - their fifth for the season - is yet to be named.
The news overshadowed action on the pitch on Sunday as Bayer Leverkusen's push to get into the Champions League qualification places took a hit with a 2-1 home defeat by Freiburg.
Leverkusen could have jumped to fifth but they were shocked by second half goals from Ermedin Demirovic and Lucas Holer.
Leon Bailey's 70th minute response for Leverkusen proved all in vain.
Hoffenheim were denied a late win at Union Berlin and had to settle for a 1-1 draw after a video assistant referee (VAR) review ruled out Pavek Kaderabek's goal.
Mainz meanwhile failed to leave the danger zone for the first time in more than three months when a mistake from their goalkeeper Robin Zentner gave visiting Augsburg a 1-0 victory.
Australian Associated Press
