FORMER Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has been placed in temporary charge of Bayer Leverkusen.

The ex-Finland international will work alongside under-19 coach Sascha Lewandowski until the end of the season following the dismissal of Robin Dutt. Leverkusen have slumped to sixth in the Bundesliga after five successive defeats.

“I know the team and firmly believe in them,” said Hyypia.

Sporting director Rudi Voeller and managing director Wolfgang Holzhaeuser sacked Dutt after Satur-day's 2-0 defeat at home to Freiburg.

“We simply had to act and set a marker to reach our season's goal of European competi-tion,” Holz-haeuser said.