Burnley appoint Fabio Celestini with club 22nd in Championship

Burnley have appointed Fabio Celestini as head coach, putting the former Basel manager in charge of a side sitting 22nd in the Championship. The club confirmed the appointment on Wednesday, while BBC Sport reported that the 50-year-old succeeds Nicky Hayen four days after his dismissal. Burnley have not disclosed the terms of Celestini's contract.

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The change follows a difficult return to the second tier. According to BBC Sport, Burnley have won only once in the league this season and have gone more than a year without a home league victory. Hayen departed after Saturday's 4-1 defeat by Lincoln City, with the club's struggles continuing after last season's Premier League campaign.

Celestini's recent record includes trophies in Switzerland and Russia. Burnley's announcement highlighted his arrival at Basel in October 2023, following a poor start to their season, and the domestic double he delivered within 18 months. Basel won the Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup in 2024-25, with the league success ending an eight-year wait for that title.

His most recent job was at CSKA Moscow, where he won the Russian Super Cup before leaving by mutual agreement in May, BBC Sport reported. His earlier coaching career included spells at Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano and Sion, having started with Italian club Terracina. Burnley also noted his promotion with Lausanne-Sport and Swiss Cup success with Luzern. Before moving into coaching, the former midfielder represented Switzerland 35 times.

In comments released by Burnley, Celestini said he saw potential in the club and quality in its players. He acknowledged the team's position and said he had experienced similar circumstances before, stressing his desire for supporters to see a side playing with belief. Chief football officer Diego López said Celestini's experience and eagerness to take the role matched what the club wanted.

Burnley confirmed that Celestini's first match in charge will be against Portsmouth at Turf Moor on Saturday, October 31. That home fixture will be his first opportunity to address the league form described by BBC Sport. His appointment follows López's arrival earlier in the week, when the new football executive was tasked with finding Hayen's replacement.