DORTMUND, Germany (Reuters) -Ten-man Borussia Dortmund slumped to a 2-1 defeat to visitors VfB Stuttgart on Saturday in a disappointing debut for new coach Niko Kovac that dropped his team further away from the Champions League qualification spots.

Coach Niko Kovac made his debut for Borussia Dortmund with a 2-1 defeat at home against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday in the Bundesliga, while champions Bayer Leverkusen were held to a goalless draw at VfL Wolfsburg.

Niko Kovac's first game in charge of Borussia Dortmund did not go to plan, as they were beaten by Stuttgart to leave them rooted in 11th.

Borussia Dortmund's three-game run under interim coach Mike Tullberg with two wins and a draw across all competitions showed the team had the quality to turn their season around, new coach Niko Kovac said on Tuesday.

Borussia Dortmund is set to appoint Niko Kovac as the club’s new head coach. Dortmund’s managing director of sport, Lars Ricken, confirmed reports that the club had reached an agreement with the former Frankfurt, Bayern, Monaco and Wolfsburg coach this week.

Borussia Dortmund fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga in Niko Kovac's first game at the helm, slipping further away from the top four.

For the first time in a while, there seems to be an air of excitement surrounding Borussia Dortmund. That’s because tomorrow’s match against VfB Stuttgart will be Dortmund’s first with Niko Kovac at the helm.

VfB Stuttgart hope to beat Borussia Dortmund again on Saturday in the Bundesliga but coach Sebastian Hoeness has admitted that the arrival of Niko Kovac as Dortmund coach is complicating matters for them.