Club Brugge’s Coach Hayen to Seek Solace from Late Mother Ahead of Key Atalanta Clash

Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen (44) revealed that he plans to have a chat with his late mother prior to the second leg of their Champions League playoff against Atalanta on Tuesday, maintaining a personal pre-match tradition that he believes offers him support.

“Before every match, I speak to my mother, who passed away far too soon four years ago,” he mentioned during a press conference on Monday, as Brugge readied themselves to defend their 2-1 advantage from the first leg held in Belgium.

“In the lead-up to last year’s Belgian league playoffs, I told her we had aspirations to achieve something extraordinary, and ultimately, we clinched the title.”

“Am I particularly religious? Not really, but I do have a sense that there is something out there. I need to have that belief,” Hayen added.

Stepping into the Brugge role in March of last year on an interim basis, he remarkably transformed the club’s trajectory by leading them to the Belgian championship.

After securing a permanent position as manager in June, he has successfully navigated Brugge into this season’s Champions League playoff and currently holds second place in the Belgian league standings.

He is anticipating a challenging encounter in Bergamo on Tuesday evening.

“Atalanta will undoubtedly adopt a more aggressive approach. At home, they will look to assert their dominance, and with their squad, they are capable of doing so, so we are preparing for a tough night,” he stated.

“We must stick to our game plan and particularly display the tactical discipline we showed last week.”

“My strategy for the match remains unchanged, despite the 2-1 scoreline from last week. We performed admirably, as Atalanta is a formidable team. I have faith in my players. We need to compete with bravery in the Champions League, but that shouldn’t lead to recklessness.”