23.03.2021 17:50 h

Croat Ivica Olic returns to CSKA Moscow as head coach

Former assistant coach and player of the Croatian national team, Ivica Olic, was appointed the head coach of CSKA Moscow, the Russian Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

The 41-year-old was twice named Croatian Footballer of the Year and as assistant coach helped his national team reach the World Cup final in 2018.

He replaces Viktor Goncharenko, who left CSKA Moscow on Monday after a 3-2 home defeat against Zenit Saint Petersburg.

"Ivica will start working on March 23 -- he will be introduced to the team and he will hold his first training session," the Moscow-based club said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Croat, who won over 100 international caps, played for CSKA Moscow between 2003 and 2006, leading the club to three championship titles and two Russian cups.

He also played for several clubs in Germany including Bayern Munich with whom he won the Bundesliga in 2009-10.

Olic retired from playing in 2017 after a final match for the 1860 Munich club in the German second division.