Andre Villas-Boas has refused a contract expansion and will step down as Zenit St. Petersburg coach at the end of the current season, the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coach has said.
"At the end of the last season the club offered me the chance to extend my contract, but I refused this offer and at the end of this season I will leave my post," the 37 year-old Portuguese, currently serving a six-match touchline ban, told the club website.
The former Porto manager took over at Zenit in March 2014 and helped the club win the 2014-15 Russian Premier League title.
In their current campaign, Zenit are third in the table, six points behind the leaders CSKA Moscow.
"We did not undertake the work during the transfer window that we had expected and the squad is limited. It has not been strengthened with the exception of those players who came at the start of the transfer window. The limit on foreign players has changed," Villas-Boas said.
"Even despite this we will carry on working and we need to get points to catch those who are in front of us, while we will also try to be successful in the Champions League," he said.
Villas-Boas was banned by the Russian Football Union earlier this month for pushing the fourth official during Zenit's home match with Krylia Sovetov.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
