GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AFP) - After two consecutive Bundesliga defeats, Schalke 04 coach Mirko Slomka is under pressure despite having led his side to the brink of a Champions League quarter-final berth.

There were delirious scenes at the Veltins Arena last week when Schalke beat FC Porto 1-0 at home in the Champions League's first knock-out round with the second leg to take place next week.

But Schalke were beaten 1-0 by Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday - their second consecutive league reverse after they lost 2-1 to Wolfsburg - and the club's executive committee have already discussed the future of the 40-year-old.

"We need to take action, but this will not be some snap decision," the club's president Josef Schnusenberg told German tabloid Bild with reports the search is already on for a new coach.

"Perhaps we need a director of football."

Schnusenberg says he wants to discuss the situation with Slomka with his side slipping out of the Champions League places and into fifth position after Saturday's defeat.

"The criticism of me after two Bundesliga defeats are justified," said Slomka.

"Coaches are measured in results and it's not only Schalke who are judged in this way.

"But I don't believe this is an ultimatum."

Slomka, who has been in charge at Schalke since January 2006, is preparing his side to take on league leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday and travel to play Porto next Tuesday with a win set to give them a Champions League quarter-final berth.

Schnusenberg added he was dismayed Slomka has used new-signings Albert Streit, Ze Roberto and Vicente Sanchez only rarely since they were signed for six million euros (nine million US dollars) over the winter break.