MSV Duisburg won promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2007–08 season by way of a third-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga, behind Karlsruher SC and Hansa Rostock. Duisburg defeated Rot-Weiss Essen in a dramatic contest on the last day of the season 3–0, which secured their promotion for the fifth time in the last two decades while relegating Essen. However, the club fared poorly in top flight play and was again relegated after an 18th-place result. In 2008–09, they focused on the re-promotion, but although they lost under their new coach Peter Neururer only two times and were unbeaten in 12 matches since his taking office, they missed the promotion. During the next season, they focused on the promotion again, but after a heavy 0–5 defeat in the DFB-Pokal against FC Augsburg, Neururer was sacked. On 2 November 2009, Milan Šašić was presented as new coach. The Croat became the third foreign coach in the club history. They finished the season like the previous one, sixth in the league table.