Club Brugge implemented a major change by sacking their manager just two days before facing Arsenal.
As the Gunners look to bounce back after suffering their second defeat of the season, Club Brugge are in the midst of a rebuild.
The Belgian giants dismissed Nicky Hayen amid a poor run of form, losing four of their previous six games.
Arsenal might now fear a new manager bounce, as Club Brugge replaced Hayen by taking Ivan Leko from league rivals Genk, with the Croatian’s first game set to be against Mikel Arteta’s league leaders.
There is, however, one reason why Leko might feel confident heading into Wednesday’s Champions League clash.
Club Brugge have sacked their manager, is a new manager bounce on the horizon? 🫣
Club Brugge sacked Nicky Hayen two days before facing Arsenal! 😳
Club Brugge’s new manager Ivan Leko beat Tottenham in the 2020/21 season
Club Brugge have a talented squad, one that Leko will hope can give him another taste of victory against a North London club.
In the 2020/21 season, when Leko was manager of Royal Antwerp, he beat Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham in the Europa League.
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Royal Antwerp won their first group stage game against Spurs 1-0, followed by losing 2-0 away from home.
It was a heavily celebrated victory for the Belgian side, who were led to victory by Leko.
After the game, Mourinho was eager to shower praise on Antwerp, lauding Leko’s side as ‘magnificent’.
“I would prefer to praise the opponent because they played a magnificent game, and not to blame ourselves, because we played an awful game,” Mourinho said.
It was the first and only time Leko faced English opposition, making it quite fitting that his second taste of duelling a Premier League club is against another North London native.
Arsenal’s record against Belgian clubs in the Champions League
Arsenal have the tools to beat Club Brugge, but not without rising to the occasion of Leko’s first game in charge.
The atmosphere at the Jan Breydel Stadium will be ferocious, just as it was when Club Brugge drew 3-3 with Barcelona in early November.
While Leko has experience of beating North London clubs, Arsenal are unbeaten against Belgian clubs in the Champions League.
This was our starting XI the last time we faced a Belgian club – who makes the current XI? 👀
The Gunners have played Standard Liege twice and Anderlecht twice, winning three and drawing one of those games.
Now led by Leko, Club Brugge will hope to break the trend and become the first team to beat Arsenal in Europe this season.