Burnley have appointed Fabio Celustini as their new head coach, with the former Switzerland midfielder taking charge four days after the sacking of Nicky Hayen. Celestini’s first match will be this Saturday at Turf Moor against Portsmouth as he attempts to revive the club’s faltering season.
Chief Football Officer Diego López led the search that resulted in Celestini’s arrival. López stated the new manager brings passion, experience, and valuable knowledge to the role. He said the club was looking for a coach with a clear identity and a winning mentality, qualities they believe Celestini possesses in abundance.
Celestini, who won 35 caps for Switzerland, moves to Lancashire after a varied coaching career across Europe. He most recently managed CSKA Moscow, where he won the Russian Super Cup before departing by mutual agreement in May. His most notable success came with FC Basel, where he secured a domestic double of the Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup in the 2024-25 season. He has also managed in Italy and won promotion with Lausanne-Sport.
The change follows a dismal start to the Championship campaign that saw Burnley win just one of their opening twelve league games. The club sits 22nd in the standings with only eight points, a full 17 points behind leaders Middlesbrough. Their record of one win, five draws and six losses from twelve games has left them in the relegation zone, with a goal difference of minus eight after scoring 17 and conceding 25. Hayen was dismissed last Sunday after 14 games in charge, a decision confirmed following a 4-1 defeat away to Lincoln City on Saturday 24 October, where Andréas Hountondji scored a first half consolation. Burnley have not won a home league match since a Premier League victory over Leeds United last October.
Celestini addressed the challenge directly. “I look at Burnley and I see a club with big potential and players with real quality, who can help us achieve our supporters' ambitions,” he said. He emphasised that fans deserve to see a team playing with belief from the first whistle. The team's recent form of one win, two draws and two losses in their last five, including consecutive defeats to Wolves and Lincoln, shows the scale of the task.
The immediate task is to stop the slide, with the team having lost its last two matches, including that heavy loss at Lincoln. The next fixture, against promotion-chasing Portsmouth, who are 11th in the table, presents a stern test. Fabio Celestini will be in the Turf Moor dugout for the 3pm kick-off on Saturday 31st October.
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