Sporting Charleroi: Hans Cornelis dismissed after three months

Europe 07 April 2026 at 09:41

Nouya M'toama

News Editor

A brutal end for Hans Cornelis on the Sporting Charleroi bench. Arriving just last December, the Belgian coach lasted only three months at the helm of the Zebras.

The decision had become inevitable. After a run of ten consecutive matches without a win, Charleroi management, led by Mehdi Bayat, decided to relieve Hans Cornelis of his duties. Appointed to succeed Rik De Mil in December, the former defender was never able to reverse the team's downward spiral. The club's last league victory dated back to January 31, an insufficient record to maintain the board's confidence.

The final straw against Westerlo

While the board initially considered waiting until the end of the playoffs, the recent defeat to Westerlo accelerated the decision. This poor performance, deemed alarming both in substance and in form, sealed the split between the club and its coach.

The players and staff were informed of the decision at the start of the week, underlining the urgent nature of the situation internally.

The new director of football, Nicolas Frutos, will address the media this Tuesday afternoon in a press conference. He is expected to explain the reasoning behind this decisive move and outline the club's outlook for the remainder of the season.