Eintracht Braunschweig will begin the 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 campaign with a new coach at the helm after Heiner Backhaus agreed to take up the reins at the Lions.

Having most recently led Alemannia Aachen to third-tier safety a year after winning promotion with the North Rhine-Westphalia-based side, the 43-year-old Backhaus steps up to a Braunschweig team that ensured their own survival with a relegation play-off victory against Saarbrücken.

“We are delighted to present Heiner Backhaus as our new head coach; he represents a clear footballing approach, with a positive and confident attitude, as well as high intensity and a great deal of passion,” Eintracht sporting director Benjamin Kessel said of his club’s appointment.

A much-travelled player and coach, Backhaus was once a midfielder for the likes of Kickers Offenbach and Union Berlin – among others – and expressed his delight at taking over at the Eintracht-Stadion for the coming campaign.

“I’m particularly looking forward to working with an exciting team and passionate fans,” the tactician said at his unveiling. “Together we want to ignite a fire, grow as a team and give everything for our success. I can hardly wait for it to finally begin.”

In charge on a caretaker basis for the play-off triumph against Saarbrücken, Marc Pfitzner will remain at the club as an assistant to the new man in charge.