Brugge fire Hoefkens despite stirring Champions League run

BRUSSELS (AP) — Club Brugge fired coach Carl Hoefkens on Wednesday despite a stirring run in the Champions League that landed the Belgian club in the last 16.

Hoefkens was let go because of disappointing domestic results highlighted by a Belgian Cup exit last week and lackluster play in the league, where it trails in fourth place.

“Despite a terrific run in the Champions League, the performance and level of play in the league remained below expectations. The World Cup break brought no improvement,” the club said in a statement.

No new coach was announced.

Brugge beat Atletico Madrid, Porto and Bayer Leverkusen during its surprisingly strong run in group play and now meets Benfica for a place in the Champions League quarterfinals in February.

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