Serbian former player and coach Sinisa Mihajlovic passed away this Friday at a hospital in Roma at age 53 because of a leukemia that he suffered since 2019.
“The wife Arianna, with her children Viktorija, Virginia, Miroslav, Dusan and Nikolas, her granddaughter Violante, her mother Vikyorija and her brother Drazen, from grief, communicate the unjust and premature death of their exemplary husband, father, son and brother , Sinisa Mihajlovic”, according to his family in a statement published by the Italian agency ANSA.
“A unique man, an extraordinary professional, helpful and good to everyone, who bravely fought against a horrible disease.. We thank the doctors and nurses who have followed him over the years with love and respect. Sinisa will always be with us. I live with all the love she gave us,” her family statement continues.
In 2019, Mihajlovic, former player of Roma, Lazio, Inter, Sampdoria and Red Starthe team with which he was champion of the 1991 European Cup, announced at a press conference that he was suffering from leukemia, a disease that has accompanied him these last three seasons.
He overcame this leukemia in the first instance in 2019, but it was reproduced at the end of last seasonwhich caused him to have to undergo medical treatment to try to remit it.
Mihajlovic he left the bench in the middle of last season due to said medical treatmentbut he returned to direct a game from the grass just over a month after being admitted to a hospital, just for the last three days.
The Serb arrived in January 2019 for the second time in his sports career at Bologna as a coach, after he made his debut as a coach in this same team in 2008 and was also dismissed in 2009. He was the first coach sacked from Serie A this season, last September 6.
His best position in the table was tenth, harvested in the first year of his second stage, in 2019.
Son of a Croatian mother and a Serbian fatherbegan his career at his Yugoslavia native (Vukovar), in Vojvodina, now a Serbian team, in 1988. A season and a half later he made the jump to Red Star Belgrade, with whom he managed to lift the European Cup in 1991 after defeating French Olympique de Marseille.
In 1992 he made the leap to Italy, to the Romain which he played for two seasons, until in 1994 he signed for the Sampdoria. Four years later, in 1998, he signed for the Lazio and he wore the ‘biancoceleste’ kit until 2004, when he went to Inter, a team from which he retired in 2006.
As a coach, in addition to bolognadirected to Cataniaal Fiorentinaal Sampdoriaal Milanal Torino and the selection of Serbia.
The Italian Prime Minister, the far-right Giorgia Meloni, expressed her condolences after the death of the Serb.
“You fought like a lion on the field and in life. You have been an example and have given courage to many who are facing the disease. You have been branded as an iron sergeant, you have shown that you have a big heart. You are and always will be a winner. Goodbye Sinisa Mihajlovic”, she posted on her official Twitter account.
In addition, Serie A also expressed its regret: “Lega Serie A is deeply saddened by the death of Sinisa Mihajlovic, an icon of football and life. His pure class as a player and coach, his strength and his humanity are an example that leaves an indelible mark on Italian and world football”.
