Bundesliga strugglers Hamburger SV have confirmed the dismissal of Dutch head coach Bert van Marwijk following the 4-2 defeat to basement side Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday afternoon.

The future of the coach came into doubt in recent weeks, with Van Marwijk himself admitting that he was not sure how long he would be at the club.

Saturday's defeat proved to be the final straw, with the seventh-straight defeat leaving the club in one of the two automatic relegation places, just a point above Braunschweig.

"It is with regret that we were forced at this time to make this decision," the club's sporting director Oliver Kreuzer said in a statement. "We thank Bert van Marwijk for his work."

Van Marwijk is the second managerial dismissal at the club this season following Thorsten Fink's sacking in September.