CSKA has confirmed that Nikolic has stepped down from his role as head coach
In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Marco Nižić, the current head coach of Moscow's CSKA, is set to depart from the Russian club and join Greek side AEK, according to media reports.
Nižić's contract with CSKA was due to expire in June 2026, but it has been reported that AEK will buy out the remaining year of his agreement with CSKA for €600,000. The Croatian coach is expected to earn over €2 million per season at AEK, with a contract duration of at least two years.
Nižić's decision to leave CSKA is said to be one of the most difficult of his career. The potential departure is linked to the absence of family nearby and CSKA's inability to participate in European cups, according to insider reports.
Nižić had a successful tenure at CSKA, leading the team to become the country's Cup holders. Under his leadership, CSKA won the bronze medals of the Russian Championship in the 2024/25 season.
Before joining CSKA, Nižić led various clubs including "Rad", the Serbian youth national team, "Voždovac", "Partizan", "Olympia" (Slovenia), and "Fehérvár" (Hungary). He also served as the head coach of Moscow's "Lokomotiv" from May 2020 to October 2021. During his time at Lokomotiv, the team won the silver and bronze medals of the Russian Championships (seasons 2019/20 and 2020/21) and the country's Cup (2020/21).
The coaching staff of Radomir Smiljanić, Goran Basašić, and Aleksandar Rogić will also depart from CSKA alongside Nižić.
As for CSKA, it is worth noting that the two main contenders for the position of head coach, according to Russian specialist Igor Osinkin and Argentine Mathias Almeida, have not been explicitly named in the provided search results. A recent update indicates that Fabio Celestini was appointed as the new head coach of PFC CSKA Moscow as of June 2025, suggesting that by mid-2025, the coaching position had been filled.
However, further targeted information or direct statements from Osinkin and Almeida would be necessary to identify the specific names they mentioned as contenders for the CSKA Moscow head coach position.
Marveling at the impending shift, Nižić may find new challenges in European leagues as he mulls over his potential move to AEK, leaving behind a successful football career in Russia. In parallel, the vacant head coach position at CSKA looms, with the identities of the rumored contenders unclear.
