Head coach signed new three-year contract with the Railwaymen.

The Serbian started his job as Lokomotiv manager in June 2020, when Yury Semin's contract was expired. Under Nikolic the team kept the second place, when the 2019/20 RPL season was resumed, while in the next season the Railwaymen finished third in the league and won their ninth Russian Cup.

Lokomotiv also finished bottom of the Champions League group, but after the winter break repeated the club's record with 11 wins in a row in all competitions.