Neil Warnock advised Aberdeen to give a new manager time to assess the squad before the summer before stepping down immediately after leading the Dons to Hampden.
Warnock’s departure was announced soon after a 3-1 home victory over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
It was a second win in eight games for Warnock – the other came against Bonnyrigg Rose in the previous round – since he replaced the sacked Barry Robson on February 5.
That appointment was designed to last until the end of the season but Warnock leaves the club 10th in the cinch Premiership, four points above the danger zone.
Chairman Dave Cormack declared in a brief statement that the search for a long-term manager was at an “advanced stage”. Neil Lennon has emerged as the favourite in recent days after declaring his strong interest in the job.
First-team coach Peter Leven could be in charge for Wednesday’s Premiership clash at Dundee though, with Warnock bowing out immediately.
Warnock said in his final post-match press conference: “I said I’d try to help them out and give them my advice. My advice is to get a new manager in as soon as possible now.
“They’re well down the line and it needs an overhaul in the summer. There’s no use waiting until then and they’ve listened to me.
“I think he needs to have a couple of months looking at the squad now in depth. Because I think to be successful – and you can be successful with the right recruitment – they need a couple of months to assess it.
“I’m glad I’ve been able to get the fans to the semi-final and we deserved it because we were superior in every department. It was a really good way to end.
“I’m disappointed I won’t lead them out at Hampden but some lucky man will come in to do that.”
Warnock described his time at Pittodrie as “up and down”. He faced questions over his future after the Dons lost 2-1 against St Mirren the previous weekend despite leading with 95 minutes on the clock.
“I didn’t enjoy last week after the St Mirren game,” the former Sheffield United manager said. “I did think: ‘What am I doing here at 75’?
“But I knew I had to be the one to get everyone going on Monday because you don’t have time to dwell.”
Warnock’s departure was planned during a meeting with Cormack and chief executive Alan Burrows on Thursday.
“We had a chat and I thought it was the right time to bring someone else in,” he said. “They’re not far away. If it’s just one game or so, Peter will be okay.
“The lads know what they’re doing now. I felt it was the right time. I wanted to win and finish like that.
“That was the situation on Thursday. I told them how I felt and we’ve left amicably.”
Warnock will now possibly spend time at his holiday home in Dunoon and stated he might go to watch Morton in their quarter-final against Hearts on Monday, while he promised the Aberdeen players he will go to Hampden “for the final”.
But he would not rule out one last job, having come out of retirement last season to steer Huddersfield away from relegation danger.
When asked if this was the end, he said: “I’ve just been asked that and I said, ‘look, it’s the 16th time I’ve retired now’. I would say yes but who knows, when you get to my age you don’t know what’s around the corner – you just hope that you keep living.”
Jamie McGrath opened and closed the scoring and Graeme Shinnie netted on a day of mixed emotions for the captain – he picked up a late yellow card for dissent which will rule him out of the semi-final.
Danny Armstrong pulled a goal back for Killie late in the first half but they could not carve out any second-half chances.
The visitors missed winger Matty Kennedy through injury and could not bring on Kevin van Veen after the striker experienced a tight hamstring during the warm-up.
Manager Derek McInnes said: “We had a brilliant crowd here, expectations have been raised, but we never met that expectation and sometimes that’s the way it goes.”
Al-Nassr 3-1 Al-Khaleej: Ronaldo nets twice and passes up penalty in cup semi-final
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the scoresheet with two goals as Al-Nassr beat Al-Khaleej 3-1 to reach the final of the King Cup of Champions on Wednesday.
Ronaldo scored either side of half-time as Al-Nassr teed up a final clash with Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, who beat Al-Ittihad 2-1 in the other semi-final on Tuesday.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star took advantage of an error from opposing goalkeeper Ibrahim Sehic to open the scoring 17 minutes in, then tapped home at the second attempt to make it a double shortly before the hour mark.
That goal could have made it a hat-trick for the Portugal star, but he passed up the chance to take a first-half penalty after Ivo Rodrigues handled in the area, Sadio Mane instead stepping up to blast his kick into the top corner.
Fawaz Al Terais was on target late on for Al-Khaleej, but that proved a mere consolation in a one-sided affair which saw Al-Nassr rack up 21 shots and 3.78 expected goals (xG), with their opponents managing just nine shots totalling 1.37 xG.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo's mini drought over
Ronaldo was frustrated against Al-Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, but he was back on song against the same opponents on Wednesday to end his mini drought of two games.
While Ronaldo's 43 touches were the fewest of any outfielder to start for Al-Nassr, he managed seven shots, five shots from inside the area and four dribbles – all game-high figures.
Hayes concedes title race is over as Chelsea suffer dramatic Liverpool defeat
It has been a difficult week for Chelsea and their boss Emma Hayes.
After seeing their Champions League dreams dashed by holders Barcelona on Saturday, they had no margin for error when they travelled to Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Wednesday.
Six points behind Manchester City with two games in hand but an inferior goal difference, the Blues needed three points to stop Hayes' final season in charge from totalling unravelling.
But there was to be no respite for the Blues, who were at one point tipped for a quadruple but have been stuck in a downward spiral since losing Sam Kerr to an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the winter break.
Matt Beard's Liverpool put on a tremendous display to win 4-3, with Gemma Bonner scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to leave Hayes certain the title is out of reach.
"I think the title is done," she said after Wednesday's game.
"Of course mathematically it's not, but I think the title is done. Our job between now and the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.
"This team has done a tremendous job in my time here to push for titles.
"I don’t know if we have ever conceded four goals in a half before. Three from set pieces is just unforgivable. But I'm going to credit Liverpool."
Chelsea now need an almighty collapse from City, who may only require three points from their remaining two matches to seal the title, if their goal difference advantage holds firm.
Hayes believes fighting on multiple fronts has not helped her team, adding: "We looked exhausted but I don't want to make excuses.
"I want to remind our fans how much success we have brought over the years. It's just not to be this year."
Next up, Chelsea face relegated Bristol City in their final home game before Hayes departs to take the United States job, with City taking on Arsenal in Sunday's headline fixture.
Sancho outshines Mbappe as Dortmund seize initiative against PSG
Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho issued a reminder of his star quality as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday.
Niclas Fullkrug scored the winner after 36 minutes, taking in Nico Schlotterbeck's floated pass before driving a low shot beyond PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Fullkrug has now been involved in six Champions League goals this season (three goals, three assists), the joint-most by a German player in their debut campaign in the competition, alongside BVB team-mate Marco Reus in 2012-13 (four goals, two assists).
The star of the show, however, was undoubtedly Sancho.
He tormented Nuno Mendes throughout a lively performance, creating three chances for his team-mates – a game-high tally alongside Julian Brandt, Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi.
Sancho had completed seven dribbles by the halfway point, more than he managed in any full game for the Red Devils.
By full-time, that number had crept up to 12, the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi completed 16 for Barcelona against United in April 2008, and the most on record by an Englishman at any stage of the competition (since 2003-04).
Sancho even outshone Mbappe, who struck the far post with a curling effort early in the second half but was limited to just three shots totalling 0.17 expected goals (xG).
PSG did have their chances, though, with their total of 14 shots their most without scoring in any Champions League game since the second leg of their 2020-21 semi-final against Manchester City (also 14), when they were beaten 2-0 and eliminated from the competition.
Dortmund are now unbeaten in 11 straight Champions League home games, winning seven and drawing four.
It's their longest ever such streak at Signal Iduna Park, and they have also won four straight knockout games on their own turf for the first time in their Champions League history.
While Dortmund have a valuable lead to protect in Paris next Tuesday, Edin Terzic will be expecting a strong reaction from PSG.
The Ligue 1 champions have progressed from two of their last four Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, with the first of those successes coming against Dortmund in the last 16 in 2019-20 (1-2 away, 2-0 at home).
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