Ground: Stadion Grbavica (capacity 13,146)
Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ticket price: 12 Bosnian Marks - Pay at ground only
Sarajevo – Bosnia’s capital. A city where the hustle and bustle comes not from the streets but from the collective drone of irritant car horns. Although not typically thought of as a tourist city, there is plenty to do here. You can visit the Bosnian Genocide Museum, go atop the Avaz Twist Tower to take in the spectacular views of the Bosnian landscape and catch a home game of either FK Sarajevo or FK Željezničar. As it was The Maniacs who were playing during my short stay in Bosnia's capital against Tuzla City, that’s where I decided to head.
Željezničar are located just outside the Sarajevo city centre and was an approx. 1 hour 15 minutes’ walk away from my hotel, which itself was 20 minutes from the city centre. Two things to note are that you cannot buy an e-ticket online, you have to purchase at the kiosk prior to the game. The kiosk will only accept Bosnian marks in cash, not euros or card. The small club shop can be found on the Istočno (east) side of the stadium; the stadium itself playing host to a supermarket and a couple of other stores as well at the front.
The club itself is the most successful club in modern day Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 6 Premier League wins, 6 Bosnian Cups, as well as finishing runners up in both competitions on numerous occasions. They are perhaps best known for their exploits in the 1984/85 UEFA Cup, qualifying for the semi-finals before losing narrowly on aggregate to Hungary’s Videoton (or Fehérvár as they’re called nowadays). Željezničar prides itself on its working class roots; the club being established by railway workers in 1921 and having to play their games on an army pitch due to there being no grounds in Sarajevo willing to let the club play there. They have a dedicated core of ultras known as “The Maniacs” with various Bosnian celebrities, including ex-players Miralem Pjanić and Edin Džeko, belonging to the group.
On a warm Saturday evening, I made my way down to the Grbavica. Scores of fans were sat outside, chatting and cooking small barbeques. Newspaper sellers were abundant, with many fans choosing to buy copies of the Sarajevo Times to line their seats, as the police made their presence known with large tanks glaring menacingly, making sure no one stepped out of line.
The Grbavica is what I would call a ‘cauldron stadium’. The rims of the stadium were packed full of raucous Bosnians, swirling around like thick, molten liquid. Bellows of “Grbavica”, the club’s official anthem composed by Bosnian vocalist Mladen Vojičić Tifa, another Željezničar ultra, simmered from the pot as popping bubbles gurgled in the air. Perhaps not an atmosphere for the faint of heart but hey, no one else was worried so why should I be? Large netting barricaded supporters between them and the 22 men on the pitch.
An orchestra of Maniacs fans made their presence known throughout the game with blue smoke emanating from the stands. A choreographed image of the Palestinian flag was displayed before flares were lit and flags menacingly waved.
The match itself was full of gusto. An own goal in the opening few minutes put Zeljeznicar in the lead. Muftic, the goalkeeper for the home side, made two strong saves to deny Tuzla City an equaliser.
The second half started in a similar vein - a mistake from a defender; Mustafa Sukilovic this time being the guilty party, bringing down Krpic (arguably Zeljeznicar's biggest threat) in the box and getting sent off in the process. Nedim Mekic, on penalty duty, dispatched the spot kick with aplomb. Tuzla City gave themselves a glimmer of opportunity, Masovic striking low, with the impressive Muftic only getting a slight touch as the ball fizzed into the net.
Zeljeznicar restored their two goal lead thanks to Amoah darting with the ball and playing it into the path of Krpic, who scored the best goal of the game, channelling the roar of some 9,000 Bosnian men and women to unleash a pearler of a strike to seal his team’s victory, leaving Tuzla City keeper Fejzic with no chance. A top performance from the Bosnian marksman, I must say.
And with that, it was an 80-minute walk back through the streets of Sarajevo, getting back to my hotel just after midnight, grabbing as much sleep as I could before embarking on a nine-hour journey into Zagreb.
If you're ever in the area, Zeljeznicar is highly recommended. Don't make the mistake I did and turn up without Bosnian Marks (I tell a lie, I did, but I wanted to save them as keepsakes) as it's a long way back to the Old Town to exchange your euros for them. They may be able to do exchanges at the club shop, I'm not sure, I didn't ask.
I would love to do more of the Bosnian Premier League. FK Sarajevo are a club I'd be interested in seeing of course, Tuzla City themselves could be an interesting trip, as could some of the Serbian-Bosnian clubs such as Banja Luka. But that's a story for another time.
FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo 3-1 FK Tuzla City 26/08/2023
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