Ivan Leko Returns to Club Brugge as Coach, Debuts Against Arsenal

Ivan Leko appointed Club Brugge 

Club Brugge announces surprise departure of coach Nicky Hayen, replaced by Ivan Leko, ahead of Champions League match against Arsenal.

“Ivan is a completely different personality than Nicky, he has a bit more fire in him. That's not to say one is better than the other, but in ⁠the past, we clicked...”

Club Brugge's players were caught off guard by the sudden sacking of coach Nicky Hayen on Monday, just two days before their Champions League match against Arsenal. Captain Hans Vanaken expressed surprise, stating that the team had learned about the decision after Monday's training session.

Hayen's dismissal came after the club's loss to St Truiden, which dropped them to third place in the Belgian league. He was immediately replaced by Ivan Leko, who had a release clause in his contract with KAA Gent, allowing him to leave. Interestingly, Gent was unaware of Leko's decision until they read about it in the media.

Club Brugge's captain, Hans Vanaken, expressed surprise over the sudden dismissal of coach Nicky Hayen, saying it was a shock to the squad. Vanaken revealed that the players learned about Hayen's firing after Monday's training session, just two days before their Champions League match against Arsenal.

Vanaken hesitated when asked if the players and the board were on the same page, stating, “That's difficult to say. As a group of players, we were surprised. The board may have viewed it differently or had other conversations behind closed doors that we don't know about.”

“Nobody expected that. There wasn't really a reason or anything ‌we thought was a reason. Look, the board has made a decision and ​it's up to the players to accept that. We know that in football, tough decisions are made sometimes.

“Firing ‍a coach is always unpleasant. Secretly, we're all convinced that things could have got better in the coming months.”

Vanaken was then asked ‍if the players and ‌the board were on the same page, but hesitated before answering: “That's difficult to say. As a group of players, we were surprised. The board may have viewed it differently or had other conversations behind ⁠closed doors that we don't know about.”

Ivan Leko returns for a second spell as Club Brugge's coach, debuting against Arsenal in the Champions League. Leko previously managed Brugge from 2017-19 and has a release clause in his contract with KAA Gent, allowing him to take the reins at Brugge.

“Ivan is a completely different personality than Nicky, he has a bit more fire in him. That's not to say one is better than the other, but in ⁠the past, we clicked.”

"Giving everything from day 1." 🗣️🔵⚫️ pic.twitter.com/kH02CCBuSl

— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) December 9, 2025

Belgium international Hans Vanaken has worked with Leko before, playing under him during his previous spell at Brugge. Vanaken expressed surprise at Leko's appointment, but is focused on the upcoming match against Arsenal, who are looking to make it six wins from six group games.

Ivan Leko had a release clause in his Gent contract that allowed him to leave, but he kept it under wraps until Club Brugge announced his appointment as their new coach, coinciding with Nicky Hayen's dismissal. The transfer fee was reportedly around €1 million, according to Belgian media.

Club Brugge currently has four points from five Champions League games, placing them outside the qualifying spots. Their upcoming match against Arsenal is crucial, as a win could keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.