Gent coach fired ahead of Champions League match

BRUSSELS (AP) — Gent coach Laszlo Boloni has been fired on the eve of a Champions League match after just 25 days in charge, the Belgian club said Monday.

The much-traveled Romanian coach was replaced by the duo of Wim De Decker, who was an assistant to Boloni, and Peter Balette.

“The atmosphere in and around the team made further cooperation impossible," Gent said in a statement.

Gent will host Rapid Vienna on Tuesday in the third qualifying round of Europe's top club competition, which is a single-leg knockout game because of a tight schedule in the pandemic-delayed new season. The winner will advance to a two-leg playoff round with a group stage berth at stake.

Gent has lost four of its five league games this season and was 16th in the 18-club league standings. Boloni, who replaced Jess Thorup last month, was in charge of the team for just three matches.

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