<p>WOLFSBURG, Germany — Wolfsburg hired Mark van Bommel as coach on Wednesday as the team prepares for its first Champions League campaign since 2015-16.</p>
<p>The 44-year-old former Dutch midfielder signed a two-year contract through June 2023, the Bundesliga club said.</p>
<p>Van Bommel played for Bayern Munich between 2006-11 and twice captained the Bavarian team to league and cup doubles. He scored 11 goals in 123 Bundesliga games for Bayern, where he was known for his aggressive playing style.</p>
<p>Van Bommel also played for Barcelona, AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven. He scored 10 goals in 79 games for the Netherlands.</p>
<p>“He fits our philosophy perfectly,” Wolfsburg managing director Jörg Schmadtke said. “He is an internationally recognized soccer man and knows what to expect in the Bundesliga. He also has a lot of ambition, which already set him apart over his long playing career.”</p>
<p>Van Bommel began his coaching career as an assistant to compatriot Bert van Marwijk with the Saudi Arabian and Australian national teams before coaching PSV in 2018-19.</p>
<p>Wolfsburg was looking for a coach following <a href="https://apnews.com/article/vfl-wolfsburg-bundesliga-oliver-glasner-europe-frankfurt-cdd5b7262d4fbd22180b8e6d4e710dbd">Oliver Glasner’s decision to join Eintracht Frankfurt</a> after he had helped the team finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League. Glasner reportedly had a strained relationship with Schmadtke.</p>
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