Giorgio Contini has been appointed as the new head coach of Young Boys, a team currently facing challenges in the Champions League. This transition will see him step away from his previous position as an assistant coach for Switzerland, where he played a key role in the national team’s impressive performance during the European Championship.

On Wednesday, Young Boys announced that Contini has signed a contract that will keep him with the club until the end of the 2026-27 season. The club is currently positioned ninth in the 12-team Swiss league and holds the lowest rank in the new 36-team Champions League standings. Joël Magnin had been serving as the interim coach since October, following the dismissal of Patrick Rahmen.

Contini’s tenure as an assistant coach began in February, when he joined head coach Murat Yakin. His contributions significantly bolstered the team’s morale, leading to an undefeated streak that carried Switzerland to the edge of the semifinals at the European Championship. The Swiss squad managed to eliminate reigning champions Italy in the round of 16 but fell short against England in a tense quarterfinal, losing in a penalty shootout after an equalizer late in the game resulted in a 1-1 draw in Berlin.

Despite being the current titleholders of the Swiss league, Young Boys have struggled this season, entering the midwinter break in ninth place, although they are only eight points away from the leaders, Lugano. The team’s performance in the Champions League has been particularly concerning, with six consecutive losses, including heavy defeats where they conceded six goals to Atalanta and five to both Barcelona and Stuttgart.