Sparta brings back Danish fitness coach Klærup

Prague's Sparta have announced the return of Danish fitness specialist Christian Klærup. The 43-year-old coach previously worked at the club from summer 2022 alongside head coach Brian Priske, and is now rejoining the team.

The decision to bring Klærup back came after Sparta dismissed current fitness chief Ian Coll on Tuesday. The move was prompted by the team's poor start to the season and the need for immediate improvement. On top of that, the club has been plagued by a high number of injuries in recent months — something that may or may not have been a direct result of the work done under Coll's leadership.

An experienced specialist with a German chapter

During his first spell at Sparta, Klærup helped the team claim two league titles and a domestic double, after which he received an offer from Germany's Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. He worked there until March of this year, then left the club and was without a job.

"Christian is a top-class specialist with a clear methodology, while also being demanding and uncompromising. He's coming back to us with fresh experience from the German league, he knows our environment, and he'll be able to get straight to work. At this stage of the season we need to perfect every detail of our preparation, and I believe Christian will be a huge help in that. I'm glad he's with us again," said the club's sporting director Tomáš Rosický.

A long-standing partnership with Priske

Klærup and Priske have worked together since their time at Danish side Midtjylland, so they know each other very well. Klærup stayed on at Sparta even after Lars Friis took over as head coach, and was part of the setup that guided the team into the Champions League group stage. During Euro 2024 he also worked with the Danish national team, but last year he couldn't turn down an offer from Germany.

"I'm returning to an environment I know well and where I have a lot of good memories. I'm sure that will be an advantage — I won't need much time to settle in, I can get straight down to work. I'm glad to be back at Sparta, and I want to contribute to improving the team's results," Klærup himself said.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz