Roberto Mancini has provided a heartfelt tribute to former team-mate Sinisa Mihajlovic, after the previous Bologna boss’ three-year battle with Leukaemia tragically got here to an finish on Friday morning.
The Serbian supervisor was recognized with the illness in 2019 and had continued as Bologna coach up till the beginning of the 2022-23 season as he managed his situation, earlier than leaving his position.
The legendary Lazio and Yugoslavia defender’s dying has sparked tributes from throughout the soccer world, and his lengthy affiliation with Italian soccer has left an earthquake of feelings reverberating throughout the nation.
Roberto Mancini (left) paid tribute to his former assistant supervisor Sinisa Mihajlovic (proper) following his dying at simply 53
‘A day I by no means needed to reside,’ Italy boss Mancini instructed TMW. ‘Goodbye Sinisa, my buddy. You fought like a lion, you’ll all the time keep by my facet.
‘It is a day I by no means needed to reside, as a result of I misplaced a buddy with whom I shared nearly 30 years of my life, on and off the pitch.
‘It’s not truthful that such an atrocious illness took away a 53-year-old man who fought till the final second like a lion, as he was used to doing on the pitch.
‘And that’s precisely how Sinisa will without end stay by my facet, even when he’s gone, as he did in Genoa, Rome and Milan and later even after we took totally different paths.’
The previous Yugoslavia defender’s most up-to-date appointment was at Bologna from which he was dismissed earlier within the 2022-23 season
Mancini performed alongside Mihajlovic 152 occasions for Lazio and Sampdoria, with the duo combining for six objectives in that point.
In arguably Lazio’s best interval of success, they had been each a part of the facet that gained a European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998-99 and a Serie A title in 1999-2000.
Mancini then appointed the previous defender as his assistant supervisor while in command of Inter between 2006 and 2008 – his first managerial appointment.
Individually, Mihajlovic was on the coronary heart of the Purple Star Belgrade defence that gained the European Cup in 1990-91 and would characterize Yugoslavia 63 occasions, scoring 9 objectives in that point.
Mihajlovic (third from left, again row) and Mancini (second proper, entrance row) performed 152 video games collectively at Sampdoria and Lazio
And having spent nearly all of his membership profession in Italy, a number of Azzurri and Serie A legends have been fast to honour Mihajlovic in touching social media posts.
The long-lasting former AC Milan defender Franco Baresi stated: ‘Bye warrior you fought head excessive to the tip actual man. RIP.’
Former Italy and Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, who performed underneath Mihajlovic as his supervisor additionally paid tribute, by tweeting: ‘You fought on the pitch and in life with dedication and dignity.
‘There are not any phrases… it was an honor to satisfy you and work collectively. Bye Mister.’
And even the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni paid her respects, saying: ‘You fought like a lion on the pitch and in life.
‘You could have been an instance and have given braveness to many who’re dealing with the illness.
‘You could have been described as an iron sergeant, you have got proven that you’ve got a giant coronary heart. You’re and can all the time be a winner. To God Sinisa Mihajlovic.’
