A four-year jail sentence for Zoran Mamic has led to the bizarre situation that sees Dinamo Zagreb managerless going into their second leg Europa League tie against Tottenham Hotspur. Mamic was sentenced to a four-year jail term after being found guilty of fraud, relating to siphoning off money from player transfers.
Zoran Mamic Scandal Leaves Dinamo Zagreb Managerless
Fraud Charges See Spurs’ Opponents Lose Manager
It is not often that the preparations for a Europa League tie are overshadowed by an opposition manager being charged with fraud relating to player sales, but that is exactly the situation for Jose Mourinho and Spurs.
Zagreb will now be coached by one of their ex-players, Damir Krznar on Thursday, March 18, looking to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit. The departure of Mamic has sent shockwaves through Croatian football although, in a club statement, he is still claiming his innocence: “Although I don’t feel guilty, I resign as I said before I would do if the sentence was confirmed. I wish all the good luck to the club.”
Tottenham Take 2-0 Lead to Croatia
Dinamo Zagreb are the last Croatian team in this season’s European competitions and face an uphill battle to claw back the 2-0 scoreline from the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Harry Kane grabbed both goals against a team that had been unbeaten in six matches in the competition and they will still provide stiff opposition in the return leg.
The Route to Securing Champions League Football
After a poor performance and defeat in their last game in the North London Derby, Spurs are now struggling to make the top four and the Europa League is starting to look the most likely route into next seasons’ Champions League, so a win in Croatia will take them one step closer to achieving that ambition.
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