Club Brugge have sacked head coach Nicky Hayen just two days before their decisive UEFA Champions League meeting with Arsenal, piling pressure on Rapheal Onyendika and his teammates at a time the Belgian champions can least afford instability.
The club confirmed on Monday that Hayen, who guided Brugge to the domestic title last season, was dismissed following a poor run of league form that included three defeats in their last four matches.
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Their latest setback — a 3-2 loss to Sint-Truiden on Saturday — dropped them to third place in the Belgian league, five points off the top.
Brugge’s Champions League campaign has also faltered, with only four points from five games despite an early highlight: a 4-1 win over Monaco in September.
They sit 26th overall in the group-stage standings and now face an Arsenal side arriving with renewed fury.
The Gunners travel to Belgium after seeing their remarkable 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions snapped at Villa Park over the weekend.
The defeat has been widely described as a wake-up call for one of Europe’s most in-form teams this season.
With qualification for the Champions League knockout stages still at stake, Arsenal must bounce back with a victory to secure their place in the next round.
Having maintained a perfect record in the competition so far, Mikel Arteta’s side will be determined not to allow one domestic setback to derail their European momentum.
That urgency leaves Club Brugge facing a highly motivated opponent at the worst possible moment — just as they attempt to steady themselves under returning coach Ivan Leko.
Leko, who left Gent to take the job, previously won the league with Brugge in the 2017–18 season and is regarded as a steadying figure.
The Croatian, capped 13 times for his country, played 98 matches for the club and also lifted the Belgian Cup as a player.
His immediate challenge will be to restore confidence and organisation ahead of Wednesday’s match, where anything short of a win could end Brugge’s European hopes.
With Arsenal seeking redemption and Brugge scrambling for stability, Onyendika is set for one of the most intense and decisive fixtures of the season.
