Burnley appoint ex-Basel boss Celestini as head coach

What the report says

Burnley have appointed Fabio Celestini as their new head coach, with the club moving quickly to replace Nicky Hayen after his departure four days earlier. The announcement was made by Burnley on Tuesday, and it comes as the Championship side try to arrest a poor run of form that has left them 22nd in the table.

Celestini, 50, arrives with recent success in Switzerland, where he guided FC Basel to a league-and-cup double in the 2024-25 season. He has spent most of his coaching career in Switzerland and was most recently in charge of CSKA Moscow, leaving that role by mutual agreement in May after 11 months. Before turning to management, he played as a midfielder for clubs including Lausanne, Marseille, Levante and Getafe, and won 35 caps for Switzerland.

Burnley said Diego Lopez, who was appointed director of football earlier this week, was tasked with leading the search for a new manager. Lopez described Celestini as bringing the qualities the club wanted, while Celestini said he saw potential in the squad and wanted the team to play with confidence. The club’s struggles include a winless league start this season and a longer run without a home league victory, underlining the scale of the challenge facing the new coach.

The appointment is significant because Burnley are attempting to stabilise their season after a difficult Premier League campaign last term and a shaky return to the Championship. As with any managerial change, the club will be hoping Celestini can quickly improve results and restore belief among supporters.