FK Sarajevo

FK Sarajevo is a professional football club based in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia-Herzegovina and is one of the most popular clubs in the country. Founded on October 24, 1946, the club was the most successful club from SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in former Yugoslavia, winning two First League titles and finishing 6th in that competition's all-time table.^[2] Today, FK Sarajevo is one of the most prominent members of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Premier League, where it has won one Premier League championship and four Cups.

History

Origins

FK Sarajevo was established less than a year after the liberation of Sarajevo from Nazi rule by Partisan forces. The result of a merger between football teams Udarnik (Vanguard) and Sloboda (Liberty), the club first appeared on the Yugoslav sports scene in 1946 under the name SD Torpedo. It played its first match on November 3rd 1946. By 1947, the name was changed to SD Sarajevo, before being simplified to FK Sarajevo in 1949.

FK Sarajevo first entered the renowned First League of Yugoslavia after eliminating Sloga from Belgrade. FK Sarajevo drew the first match 3–3 in Novi Sad, but then dominated the second match in Sarajevo 5–1. FK Sarajevo lasted only one season in the First League before falling out, but made it back in 1950. From there, FK Sarajevo remained a stable component of the First League every year except the 1957–58 season.

First championship generation

FK Sarajevo quickly gained worldwide fame, making various international appearances, and playing in a number of prominent European tournaments. The years 1957–1967 were some of the more prosperous times for the team. Backed by stars such as Boško Antić, Mirsad Fazlagić, Vahidin Musemić and Boško Prodanović. In 1967 FK Sarajevo were Champions of the Yugoslav First League, breaking a long trend of Croatian and Serbian football dominance.

Second championship generation

Period of 1977/1982 saw the reign of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia and PSG's best player of all times^[3][4][5] - Safet Sušić. In 1980 FK Sarajevo were runners up in the Yugoslav First League Championship. By 1982 the team, now without Sušić who signed for Paris Saint Germain, went 3 rounds into the UEFA Cup before falling to the eventual runner up R.S.C. Anderlecht. In 1985, FK Sarajevo dominated the traditional Yugoslavian heavyweights and gained its second Championship title and qualified for the UEFA Champions League. The good times did not last however. The next few years saw the decline of FK Sarajevo, distinguished by the loss of star players, like the best attacking attacking tandem of the league and top team and league scorers from the previous season Predrag Pašić and Husref Musemić, and poor results.

Effects of war

These difficulties however were minuscule compared to what was to come. The Bosnian War and siege of Sarajevo in the early 90s stopped almost all cultural life in the capital. Many of FK Sarajevo's supporters, including the infamous Horde Zla (Hordes of Evil) joined the Bosnian army and fought in the war. Despite all difficulties FK Sarajevo played a friendly game against the local peacekeepers in 1994, which it won 4–1.

Post-war period

Since the end of the war, FK Sarajevo have been in the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There they have been one of the most successful and dominant clubs in the league's short history, even making several brief appearances in European competition. In 2004, FK Sarajevo legend Safet Sušić was voted Bosnia and Herzegovina's best player of the last 50 years to mark UEFA's Golden Jubilee.

Sarajevo derby

The rivalry with FK Željezničar is mainly focused on an old difference between the towns elite and working class, however this does not apply anymore and is looked upon as a folk tale because both rich and poor support FK Sarajevo and Željo. During the post-conflict FK Sarajevo has close ties to current political elite in Bosnia and Herzegovina as it did with local municipal leaders prior to the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina and FK Željezničar is rooted in the working class, this derby came to represent the "conservative centripetal forces".

So far (as of May 15, 2009), 95 league matches were played. Željezničar won 29 times, FK Sarajevo also won 29 times, while 37 matches ended with a draw. Goal-difference 117:114 in FK Sarajevo favor. Since the independence, as a part of Bosnian championship, there were 32 games played. FK Sarajevo won 10 times, Željezničar won 8 times, with 14 draws. Goal-difference 34:39 for FK Sarajevo.

Honours

• Yugoslav First League: 2
  • 1967, 1985

• Bosnian-Herzegovinian Premier League: 2
  • 1999, 2007

• Bosnian-Herzegovinian Cup: 4
  • 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

European Record

Summary

Source: [1], Last updated on 31 August 2009
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against. Defunct competitions indicated in italics.

UEFA Champions League history

An amazing 2006/2007 season finished with Sarajevo winning the league, therefore meaning the team entered the UEFA Champions League. Sarajevo started its run on July 17 against Maltese champions Marsaxlokk. Sarajevo dominated and stunned the Maltese with a 6–0 away victory – the biggest win in FK Sarajevo's post-war history and won once again in Kosevo stadium 3–1, beating Marsaxlokk with an aggregate score of 9–1. The 'Bordo Team' was faced with a game against Belgian First Division runners-up K.R.C. Genk. Sarajevo pulled of one of the most memorable wins with a 2–1 win over Genk in Belgium. The home leg was less successful with Sarajevo 1946 losing 1–0 – Sarajevo 1946 qualified on the away goals rule. In the third round, Sarajevo were drawn with Dynamo Kiev. It proved to be a game too far, with the Ukrainian team winning 4–0 on aggregate. FK Sarajevo 1946 is the only BiH Premier League team along with FK Željezničar Sarajevo to reach such a stage in Europe.

UEFA Cup history

After hard fought battles against Dinamo Kiev which ended Dinamo Kiev's favor of a 4–0 victory in aggregate, They had to settle for Europe's second most cherished prize, the UEFA Cup. FK Sarajevo 1946 played a rather attacking style in the first game and almost came about scoring a goal a couple of times, with one actually entering the net but it had to be dealt as an offside.

They lost at home to FC Basel 1–2 pulling up wonderful performances but couldn't net a goal until the 90th minute.

The away leg on October 4 was far less successful. Playing in front of 15,000 fans at St. Jakob Park, Sarajevo were smashed 0–6, losing out 1–8 on aggregate.

UEFA Europa League history

The first season of the newly formed Europa League turned out to be one of the most remarkable and memorable season in the club's history. Prior to the qualifying process there were few who believed that the team could even overcome the second qualifying round where Slovak side FC Spartak Trnava was waiting. However the players showed an immense combative spirit which lead to a 1–0 victory at Koševo Stadium. Milan Muminović scored the only goal by sending the ball from roughly 25 meters into the goal of powerless Ivica Kralj. In the return leg the "bordo" team ground out a 1–1 draw in Trnava which smoothed the way to the next round. The deciding goal was striked by Adis Jahović after an amazing free-kick by Ajdin Maksumić.

In the third qualifying round a confident FK Sarajevo 1946 met with Helsingborgs IF. The first leg in Helsingborg ended in a 2–1 lost, with Damir Hadžić scoring the only goal and Emir Janjoš being dismissed by the referee after receiving his second yellow card. This fact caused a lot of rage among the players and fans. Playing in front of 20,000 frenetic fans at Koševo the "Bordo-Bijeli" offered one of the most memorable games in the club's history. Nevertheless the evening couldn't start worse. Some of the fans hadn't even entered the stadium as Helsingborg already led. This circumstance however couldn't brake the home team, who was supported over the whole distance by the terrific Horde Zla. The players honored this by delivering an epic fight for every grass stalk of the pitch. This resulted firstly in the drawing goal of fabulous Damir Hadžić in the first half, who scored with a fantastic volley from some 30 meters. After Alen Avdić's goal in the 74´, which was brilliantly prepared by Milan Muminović, no one of the 20,000 spectators could contain himself. A dramatic finish wouldn't see a winner, which meant that the game was going to be decided in a penalty shootout. At last the home team's players proved the stronger nerves and advanced to the Play Off. The triumph led to great euphoria among the devotees of the club.

There FK Sarajevo 1946 met with Romanian side CFR Cluj, who ended the summer's tale. In the first leg at Koševo the "bordo" team was able to draw 1–1 after Damir Hadžić equalized the score. In a balanced second leg Cluj however was able to secure a spot in the group stage.

Stadium

Main article: Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium

FK Sarajevo 1946 play on stadium "Koševo".

The stadium was opened in the year 1947. In 1984, it was reconstructed for the 1984 Winter Olympics, and is therefore often called Olympic Stadium. Officially, however, it is still called "Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium".

Today, Koševo Stadium can seat 37,500^[1] and is also on occasion the home stadium of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team when they don't play at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica.

Supporters

The club's supporters were historically called Pitari while an individual was, and is still, known as a Pitar. Their rowdiness during the matches of the time provoked accusations of being dangerous. During a big season game in 1986 a maroon painted snake was thrown off the east stand onto the visitors bench. This is considered the reason club officials opened the North stand of the AFH Stadium to the most enthusiastic of fans. Soon after, the name The Horde Zla was born, when several members of the Pitars created a new identity based on a Zagor comic book of the same name. Today, Pitari and Horde Zla are interchangeable. The Horde Zla became the fastest growing youth organisation in the city of Sarajevo, financing itself through a very well organised, vertically integrated marketing system, as well as a very rigid members policy. During the late 1980s and early 1990s The Horde Zla became infamous for a few of the largest interfan riots and stadium troubles in former Yugoslavia, including the 1991 stabbing of two FK Partizan supporters in front of the FK Partizan stadium in Belgrade and the 1988 riots in the city of Mostar before a league game, resulting in the stabbing of a Mostar resident and the destruction of huge amounts of property.When the civil war began, most members of The Horde Zla joined the newly formed Bosnian Army in an effort to defend their city and newly independent state, and many did not survive. Today a plaque exists, to honor The Horde Zla who died defending their city and country. After the war The Horde Zla again took their place on the North stand of the AFH stadium on the 10th. anniversary of the firm's founding. The Horde Zla again were on the front pages when, during the 1998 Sarajevo city derby against FK Željezničar, they invaded the pitch after some members of the FK Željezničar firm, The Maniacs attacked the FK Sarajevo 1946 goalkeeper, resulting in a huge on-pitch-fight resulting in over 30 serious injuries and setting on fire the stadium's rubber athletics track.

The Horde Zla again made headlines in October 2009, during the infamous Široki brijeg football riots. The riots resulted in the death of Vedran Puljić, a member of Horde Zla and over thirty serious injuries, including four gunshot wounds.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} World Stadiums – Olimpijski Stadion Kosevo
2. ^ All-time Yugoslav League Championship Club Comparison
3. ^ Golden players take center stage; UEFA.com, 29 November 2003
4. ^ Golden players take center stage; UEFA.com, 29 November 2003
5. ^ http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2010/20100202_114950_susic-joueur-de-l-histoire-du-psg.html

External links

Official websites

• Official website (Bosnian)
• Website about FK Sarajevo (Bosnian)
• Sarajevo at uefa.com (English)

General fan sites

• Bordo Caffe (Bosnian)