(Reuters) - Former Bayer Leverkusen boss Roger Schmidt has been sacked as coach of Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan, the club announced on social media on Wednesday.
Schmidt took the job just over two years ago and led Beijing to the Chinese FA Cup last year, but has been fired with Guoan in third place in the standings.
Beijing made a flying start to the current campaign after heavy investment in their squad before the start of the season and won the first eight games to sit top of the table.
Yet back-to-back losses in their games against Jiangsu Suning and Henan Jianye over the last two weeks in addition to the club's exit from both the Asian Champions League and this year's Chinese FA Cup have resulted in the German being axed.
No replacement has been announced by Beijing Guoan, but Chinese media have reported that former Olympique Lyonnais boss, Frenchman Bruno Genesio, is in line to take on the role.
Beijing, who trail league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande by four points with 10 games of the season remaining, host Hebei CFFC in the Chinese Super League on Friday.
(Editing by Toby Davis)