Burnley appoint ex-Basel boss Celestini as head coach
Burnley have appointed Fabio Celestini as head coach, four days after sacking Nicky Hayen. The club hopes the 50-year-old can revive a team struggling in the Championship, where poor results have left them near the foot of the table.
Celestini led FC Basel to the Swiss league and cup double in 2024-25, and most recently managed CSKA Moscow, winning the Russian Super Cup before leaving in May. Burnley have won once in the league this season and sit 22nd; they have also gone more than a year without a home league win. His contract details have not been disclosed.
In short
- Fabio Celestini is Burnley’s new head coach.
- He won a Swiss domestic double with Basel in 2024-25.
- Burnley sit 22nd after one league win this season.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Appointing Fabio Celestini gives Burnley a coach with recent success, including a Swiss league and cup double, and experience winning silverware elsewhere. A change in leadership may offer a struggling team fresh ideas and a chance to improve results before the season progresses further.
The case against
Celestini’s past achievements do not guarantee success in the Championship, and he has little time to adapt a team already near the foot of the table. Replacing Hayen so soon may also bring further disruption, while the club’s prolonged home struggles suggest problems that a new head coach alone may not resolve.
Explained simply
Burnley are a football club in Lancashire, currently competing in the Championship, the second tier of English league football. The season runs over many months, with clubs trying to earn promotion to the Premier League or avoid relegation to a lower division.
A head coach oversees training, tactics and team selection, and is judged partly by results. Burnley have changed coach during a difficult season, with the club looking for a way to improve its league form.
Fabio Celestini has managed clubs in Switzerland and Russia, including FC Basel, where he won the league and cup in 2024–25. His appointment matters because Burnley’s results affect their prospects in the Championship and the direction of the team for the rest of the season.