Sheriff Tiraspol head coach Jurij Vernidub is happy to be in the same Champions League group as one of Europe’s most recognizable clubs in the former of Inter.
Speaking to Russian news outlet Fanday.net, the Sheriff coach expressed excitement at the prospect of coming up against the likes of Inter and Real Madrid in particular, as well as Shakhtar Donetsk, in the Transnistrian club’s Champions League group stage debut.
Sheriff surprised many when they qualified for the group stage of this year’s edition of the Champions League, capping off an impressive run through the qualification playoff rounds with a convincing 3-0 aggregate win against Dinamo Zagreb.
The debutants will not be an easy side for any of their group stage opponents as evinced by the nature of their qualification, and they will do everything they can to go even further in Europe’s top competition, but the coach admits that he is also happy simply to be in the company of such decorated opposition.
“I am very happy to have ended up in a group with Real and Inter, incredible,” Vernidub said, continuing by joking “though I really would have liked it if Lionel Messi had come to Tiraspol.”
