DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Borussia Dortmund leader Hans-Joachim “Aki” Watzke will step down in 2025 when his contract expires.
The Bundesliga club announced on Monday that Watzke, 64, would extend his contract and leave the club’s management team “in the autumn of next year”.
Watzke is also an elected member of UEFA’s executive committee and the two-year term at the heart of European football’s decision-making procedure is set to expire in the first half of 2025.
Watzke has been at Dortmund since 2001, mainly as treasurer. In 2005 he was promoted to chairman of the club’s board of directors and played a pivotal role in managing the currency crisis at the time.
Watzke’s tenure includes Bundesliga victories in 2011 and 2012 under coach Jürgen Klopp, German Cup victories in 2012, 2017 and 2021 and a final Champions League appearance in 2013.
Watzke reportedly wanted to step down before but he extended his contract in 2021 to oversee Dortmund through financial strains caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In April 2021, Watzke helped Dortmund steer clear of the failed European Super League release while serving on the board of directors of the European Club Association, whose leaders pushed the insurgent project.
Watzke is also vice-president of the German Football Association and chairman of the supervisory board of the German Football League. It’s unclear if he also intends to resign from those positions.
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