Fabio Celestini: Burnley appoint new head coach

Burnley have appointed Fabio Celestini as their new head coach, handing the Swiss boss the task of lifting the Clarets out of the Championship relegation places.

The club confirmed the appointment on Wednesday 28 October. Celestini replaces Nicky Hayen, who was dismissed following the 4–1 defeat at Lincoln City, and will take charge for the first time against Portsmouth at Turf Moor on Saturday.

For Fabio Celestini, Burnley presents a very different challenge from winning a Swiss league and cup double: restoring confidence to a side with one league win in 12 attempts.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Fabio Celestini as Head Coach.

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) October 28, 2026

What has Burnley said about Fabio Celestini?

In Burnley’s announcement, Celestini expressed confidence in the squad’s quality and the club’s potential. He acknowledged the difficult position and said supporters should see belief in the team from kick-off.

Chief Football Officer Diego López highlighted Celestini’s experience, enthusiasm and determination to take the job. The announcement did not specify a contract length or name additional coaching appointments.

Ben Jacobs also reported the confirmation, noting Celestini’s most recent spell at CSKA Moscow and Russian Super Cup success.

Fabio Celestini’s managerial record

Basel provides the strongest example of what Celestini can build. He took over with the club bottom of the Swiss Super League in October 2023 and went on to deliver the league and Swiss Cup double in 2024/25.

Burnley’s announcement also points to promotion with Lausanne-Sport, Swiss Cup success with Luzern and the Russian Super Cup at CSKA. His wider results show why those achievements should be considered alongside the tougher spells.

Source: Celestini’s published managerial statistics, as of the match played on 2 May 2026. Terracina’s two spells are combined; that row’s percentage is calculated from three wins in 13 matches. Records cover different competitions and countries.

The Basel turnaround offers encouragement. A six-match winless spell at Sion and more uneven returns elsewhere are a reminder that a trophy-winning CV cannot guarantee an immediate Championship recovery. Burnley need his methods to work with this squad, in this situation.

The Burnley side Celestini inherits

The Clarets sit in 22nd place with eight points, three behind 21st-placed Watford. They have scored in every league match but kept only one clean sheet.

Those numbers point to the immediate priority. Burnley have found goals, yet conceded more than two per league game on average. Celestini needs to reduce the mistakes and periods of vulnerability that keep undoing their attacking work.

That is one win, two draws and two defeats. The 4–0 victory at Watford showed the squad can produce a convincing result, but Burnley have taken only one point from the three games since.

At Turf Moor, their six league fixtures have brought four draws and two defeats. Turning those draws into wins would give the new head coach a platform; Portsmouth is his first opportunity to start doing so.

How do recent Burnley managers compare?

Hayen’s departure came after 14 competitive matches. The table below uses the same convention throughout: matches settled by penalties count as draws.

Source: Burnley managerial records. Caretaker spells are omitted. Hayen’s record includes the shoot-out victory over Notts County and shoot-out defeat at Bradford City as draws.

These are records across different divisions, squads and lengths of tenure, rather than a ranking of coaching ability. Hayen’s league return — one win from 12 — is the clearest measure of the situation Celestini now faces. Burnley confirmed Hayen’s dismissal on 24 October.

Who do Burnley play next?

Burnley host Portsmouth on Saturday 31 October at 3pm. Away trips to QPR and Cardiff follow, before the home derby against Blackburn.

Our new Head Coach Fabio Celestini will be in the dugout for the first time against Portsmouth at Turf Moor on Saturday.

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) October 28, 2026

All dates are in 2026 and subject to change. The Blackburn fixture was moved to Sunday 22 November at noon; see Burnley’s derby broadcast confirmation.

Portsmouth sit 11th, so the opener is no automatic route to three points. QPR, in eighth, then provide an early away test before the trip to 16th-placed Cardiff.

After that comes the East Lancashire derby. Blackburn are 10th, and a positive result would carry an emotional lift as well as league value. Seventh-placed Birmingham follow before a visit to 13th-placed Millwall closes November.

There is time to climb, but that sequence gives Celestini little room for a slow adjustment. Defensive organisation and a more reliable home return will matter immediately. Follow the wider picture on our Championship table page.

Burnley fans react to Celestini’s appointment

The replies to Burnley’s announcement include support for the new coach alongside uncertainty about the appointment and questions about his staff. These are individual reactions, rather than a measure of the entire fanbase.

HackneyClaret said they would get behind Celestini and hoped he could turn things around, while acknowledging that his name was unfamiliar.

That being said, we will get behind him and really hope he can turn things around.

— HackneyClaret (@hackney_claret) October 28, 2026

Banksylad welcomed him and called for a team that fights for the badge and town, with the Blackburn derby already on the horizon.

Welcome aboard Fabio, if you can get the players fighting for the badge and the town, and beat the bastards you will be off to a flyer UTC

— Banksylad (@ClaretnBlue88) October 28, 2026

Daniel Braddock questioned whether Celestini would bring his own backroom team. Burnley’s appointment statement does not settle that point.

Does he have his own staff with him or are the same useless coaches staying?

— Daniel Braddock (@dbraddock47) October 28, 2026

Clarets1882 also pledged support while admitting uncertainty over the new appointment.

We’ll give him our support to begin with like we always do with a new appointment, Laws included. But I hope we have got this one right as I’ve never heard of him.

— Clarets1882 (@b_c8059865) October 28, 2026

Elsewhere, @Ethan99Con questioned the head-coach structure, while Paddy L joked about the coaching staff and Josh offered a dry response to the announcement photograph.

@AlanPaceBFC we need a manager, not a head coach.

— @Ethan99Con October 28, 2026

Welcome Fabio, and also welcome to your new coaches Mikel Jacksoni and Henriko Jensonio

— Paddy L (@403Paddy) October 28, 2026

He looks buzzing

— Josh (@joshpearson180) October 28, 2026

For Celestini, the first chance to answer the football questions comes on Saturday. His past successes offer a reason for hope; Burnley’s current record makes the need for progress clear.