Sheriff Tiraspol manager Stjepan Tomas has resigned two days before the Moldovan’s face Manchester United at Old Trafford in Thursday’s Europa League Group E clash.
The Croatian took the blame for his side’s first domestic defeat of the season, which came against FC Petrocub on Sunday.
Following the 1-0 defeat, Tomas said after the game: “It seems that the players were thinking about the match in Manchester, there was no concentration. This is my mistake.”
A statement on FC Sheriff’s club site read: “In four months, together with the team, Stjepan Tomas managed to create a team from scratch, which successfully passed the qualification for European cups, having managed, in fact, with the new team, which he created from scratch in a short time, to break into the group stage of the Europa League.
“FC Sheriff collective thanks Stjepan Tomas and his coaching staff for the work done, contribution to the development of the club and its promotion in the international arena.”
Sheriff Tiraspol manager resigns on eve of facing Manchester United
The Moldovan outfit sit top of their domestic league and sit third in Group E of the Europa League with three points from four games.
Sheriff opened their Europa League campaign with a 3-0 win at Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia who were managed at the time by Neil Lennon, but the former Celtic manager has since been sacked.
Erik ten Hag’s side beat Sheriff 2-0 in Chisinau last month thanks to a Jadon Sancho strike, and a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Prior to departing Sheriff, Tomas predicted that Ten Hag would reintegrate Ronaldo back into his side and the Moldovan team would face the five-time Ballon d’Or winner on Thursday night.
Tomas said: “I think that Ronaldo will play, and he will train with the team tomorrow. We have to prepare ourselves for the game.”
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