BRUGES, Belgium (AP) — Club Brugge has changed managers two days before hosting first-place Arsenal in the Champions League.
Brugge announced on Monday the appointment of former manager Ivan Leko. He returned from Gent to replace Nicky Hayen and the club thanked him for “his hard work”.
Leko led Brugge to the Belgian league title in 2018 in his first two years at the club, where he played from 2005 to 2009.
Hayen leaves with the team in 26th place in the Champions League standings and battling for a top-24 finish to qualify for the knockout stages for the second year in a row.
Brugge have been in good form at home, defeating Monaco 4-1 and drawing 3-3 with Barcelona, but they have lost three consecutive away games. After hosting Arsenal on Wednesday, Brugge will host Khairat Almaty and Marseille away in January.
The team is in third place in the Belgian standings, five points behind defending champions Union Saint Giroise.
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