Crumbs from the general table
Over the past decade and a half, a football fan of the ex-Yugoslav states has not been spoiled by spectacles, because of which he catches his breath and his pulse rushes to around 200. It is considered a sensational success to reach the group stage of the Champions League. But, as a rule, the local clubs do not advance beyond the qualifying rounds. Therefore, it remains to be satisfied with starving football fans with crumbs in the form of a pair of central matches of national championships.
And this must happen: this Saturday for the 128th time on the Belgrade “Maracan” will play “Red Star” and “Partisan”, and on the Zagreb “Maximir” - the local “Dynamo” and the split “Hajduk”! And although the Serbian and Croatian championships in strength can be recorded only in the second tier of the continental championships, the derby is worse in Europe - count on the fingers.
In relatively recent times, when the aforementioned quartet was registered in the major leagues of a single country, calendars did not make similar gifts to fans. Nowadays, different times - each fragment of the former federation has its own championship, and Saturday's coincidence has become a reality.
The big four
In the 45-year history of the post-war championships of united Yugoslavia (1946-1991), these clubs only allowed strangers to gold five times. The hegemony of Serbian and Croatian giants was violated during this time only by Sarajevo (1967, 1985), Vojvodina (Novi Sad, 1966, 1989) and Sarajevo Zheleznichar (1972). It is not surprising that the Quartet of leaders of Yugoslav football got the name "Big Four". And while someone from this company won the next championship, the remaining trinity, without regard to competitors, was sorting out vouchers for European competitions. Rare breakouts to clubs like Radnichka (Niš), Velezha (Mostar) and Sarajevo tandem were exceptions that confirmed the rule.
Monolith and Shards
Relations within the four were more like fighting than sports rivalry. The nature of these fights was both urban (Belgrade derby), and republican (with the Croatian duo) and interethnic (visits from Serbia to Croatia and vice versa). We will tell you more about the first two categories. But first, recall two games from the third. They sadly symbolize the decade during which the once prosperous country rapidly slipped into a civil war.
Belgrade in Split has always been greeted warmly. Cold steel street fights here were commonplace (as, indeed, in Belgrade). However, the arsenal of manifestations of “hospitality” of inventive Hajduk fans was very rich, and one of the most original ways of expressing hostility towards metropolitan guests was the ritual of cooling the ardor of visitors in the waves of the Adriatic - split Split “Torcida” parked along the seafront with Serbian numbers easily and amicably pushed into the sea.
However, when on May 4, 1980, on a crowded Split handsome “Pole” a couple of minutes before the break, the match inspector suddenly called the chief referee to the edge, the audience watching the fight between “Hajduk” and “Red Stars” immediately suspected something was wrong. Whispering at the edge, the referee ran to the central circle, gathered teams and announced the end of the game. Some players immediately collapsed on the lawn, tears appeared on the faces of many
May 4, 1980. The coach of “Hajduk” Tomislav Ivich and defender Zoran Vujovic just learned about the death of Josip Broz Tito.
The speaker's sad voice spilled out from the speakers: "Josip Broz Tito has died." Cadres from Split circled the whole world and at that moment became, as it seemed, a symbol of the monolithic unity of the peoples of Yugoslavia. However, as time has shown, the death of the permanent leader of the country became the starting point of the tragic process in which the whirlwind of nationalism 11 years later shattered the country into fragments. In the 90s, the symbols of that split television picture looked completely different ...
A much more vivid example of the chaos into which the country was inevitably plunged was the match between Dynamo and Red Star on May 13, 1990 in Zagreb. Skirmishes of fans in the stands that got out of the control of the police were transferred to the Maximir lawn, and law enforcement officers began to wield bluntly with batons. Dozens of fans got the nuts, and the culmination of the confrontation was the jump from the kung fu arsenal of Zvonimir Boban. So the local idol responded to the policeman with a push and a blow with a club.
Boban stabs a policeman (1990)
Although Dynamo played on their own field, in the attack by Boban of a man in uniform (the Serbs dominated the army, special services and other power structures), political observers saw a manifestation of nationalism, a challenge to the system, rather than settling personal accounts. What it really was, only the famous player knows. However, the fact remains: just a year later, a war broke out in Croatia, and Yugoslavia disappeared from the world map.
Edible - Inedible
Returning to football matters, we note an interesting: despite the titles and regalia, the relations within the four developed quite confusingly and did not yield to logic. The most titled “Crvena Zvezda” butchered the “partisan” neighbors with enviable regularity (in 88 games in the SFRY championships - 41 wins, 24 draws and 23 losses), however, it was almost on a par with Dynamo (90 games: + 32 = 28-30), and the only negative balance between Belgrade and Hajduk (92 games: + 32 = 25–35). And while the “masters from the sea” habitually ate red and white, the Splitters themselves were smashed to smithereens by Partizan (88 games: + 24 = 23–41). Indigestible “grave diggers” turned out to be for Dynamo (90 games: + 32 = 21–37).
"Celebrate" - 128th time!
For decades, the Belgrade derby has been unthinkable in isolation from the adjective "veti" ("eternal" - Serb.). Just as it is hard to imagine that football in the Serbian capital existed until 1945, when Crvena Zvezda and Partizan were founded. But it existed - from the pre-war Belgrade teams "Yugoslavia" and BSK - as a result, the second survived, which later became OFK.
The antagonism of two fierce enemies was laid at the foundation stage. In March 45, the Star was established by members of the anti-fascist youth movement, while Partizan was an army club. The “Star” was known as a society of free-thinkers, both ordinary people and bohemians, people of art, were attracted to it, “Partizan” hardly got rid of the train of army regime - after the war, talented recruits from all over the country were recruited into a black and white team in the order, the most no matter what the army order.
The stadium "Stars" was lovingly called "Maracana" by the people, the arena of "Partizan" had no exotic in the name and was designated by the acronym JNA (Yugoslav People's Army) in the mouth of the fans. “Maracana” hosted the 1973 Champions Cup final, and the JNA Marshal Tito Cup final was played annually at JNA.
Partisan’s army past is a favorite topic for cheerleaders among Star fans. The most caustic of them is a reminder that when the general of the Yugoslav army was "Partizan" was led by none other than ... Franjo Tudjman, who later became the ideologist of Croatian separatism and the first president of independent Croatia! There is nothing to answer to the “grave diggers” - in those years, few people could discern the future secessionist at the head of the club.
Traditions
The pride of black and white for a long time remained the success of the magnificent team of 1966, which reached the finals of the Champions Cup and lost there to the glorious Real Madrid - 1: 2. “Grobari” will complain for a long time that they deserved to win: they came forward, but the poor goalkeeper Milutin Shoshkich was let down by poor eyesight. On the dimly lit Brussels “Isel” he, as any real partisan will explain to you, missed the second ball of Madrid because of night blindness ...
“Real Madrid” - “Partizan” - 2: 1 (1966, goals of “Real”)
Nevertheless, the success of that team for another 35 years was a trump card in the eternal fan debate about who is better. The “star” only got to the first European Cup in 1979, but the UEFA trophy sailed away from it in Mönchengladbach: not scoring even once from the game (1: 1, 1: 0 - Belgrade defender Jurisic “brought” one goal, the Germans spent the second controversial penalty), “Borussia”, led by Berti Vogts and Alan Simonsen took the cup to Germany.
In 1991, however, the hour of the red-white army struck, and the unexpected international double of the “Stars” in the Champions Cup and Intercontinental Cup closed their mouths for a long time to neighbors.
Export conveyor
After the collapse of Yugoslavia, the only major success of Serbian club football was the sensational entry of Partizan into the Champions League under the leadership of Lothar Mateus in 2003. Partisan fans recall the short stay of the German at the helm of the team with nostalgia. After his departure, club politics revolves around the conveyor supply of leading players to wealthy European clubs. The team is deprived of the opportunity to preserve the core and, having strengthened it with a couple of acquisitions, swings at a new trip to Europe.
The situation is similar in the camp of a competitor. Last summer, Zvezda sold almost half a team, and there was no need to stutter about any Champions League: in both matches of the qualifying round the Belgrade team confidently outplayed Milan.
However, the root of the problems in “Partizan” is deeper - the army of “grave diggers”, traditionally located on the southern rostrum, has been boycotting matches of the favorite team for more than a year. The reason is the refusal of the general secretary Zharko Zechevich and sports director Nenad Biekovich - people who personify managerial failures in the eyes of the fans - to leave posts.
"Star" does not catch up?
This season has only aggravated the conflict. By the winter break, “Partizan” catastrophically lagged behind the “Star” (14 points) and never won in the group stage of the UEFA Cup. The epilogue is the resignation of team coach Miodrag Yesic, replaced by coach of the Serbian youth Miroslav Djukic. Due to the busyness of the post of head of the NOC of Serbia, the long-term president Ivan Churkovich also left the club. The boycott of the fans, meanwhile, continues, since their main demand - the departure of Zechevich and Biekovich - has not been fulfilled.
The protest does not apply to guest matches - on Saturday, “Grobari” will take places in the “south” of the opponent’s arena. "North" will be filled with "delie" - the most ardent fans of the hosts,
The atmosphere on the “Maracan” on one of the previous derby
Statistics on the side of the “Star”: out of 48 games, she won 28, 14 tied and lost only 6 times. The last time in the championship “Partizan” left the “Maracana” winner as much as 11 years ago. The first round match ended in a goalless draw. And although the red-white ones are considered the favorites of the match, their fans should not deceive themselves: Djukic’s team has something to prove, and the 11-year-old victorious drought spurs his wards.
Photo for memory
The Croatian derby is overgrown with scandal before it starts. The newspaper Jutarnji list recently published a photograph that depicts Dynamo Executive Vice President Zdravko Mamic, football referee Vlado Svilokos and HNS delegate Zeljko Shirić.
Vlado Svilokos (left) and Zeljko Širić (right) congratulate Dynamo's executive vice president Zdravko Mamic on their championship in the 2005/06 season.
All three have smiles on their faces, their mood is excellent. It is understandable: the picture was taken immediately after the victory of the “blue” in the 2005/2006 season. Everything would be fine, but Svilokos was appointed the chief arbiter of the Saturday derby, and Shirich was appointed inspector. Mamich assures the public that many then came to him to congratulate him on the championship, including the referee and the football commissioner mentioned. In the camp of “Hajduk” they don’t believe in coincidence, among the “torcidas” the rumor about the paid judging is already in full swing.
Calling for the Split Torzida to ride on the Zagreb derby
“Dynamo” will enter the game in the rank of leader, but the Dalmatians are behind only three points played in Zagreb. The league’s best defense (10 goals conceded in 19 games) led by a pair of central defenders Zhivkovich - Gal, the hosts will oppose the best attack (49 goals), led by inspired playmaker Luca Modric and naturalized Brazilian leader Eduardo Da Silva. 20 goals.
Guests will not be indebted - forward Ante Rukavina, forward-wunderkind who transferred from Sibenik in January, if he does not start the match from the first minutes, will surely be replaced. In the first round after the winter break, “Dynamo” not without difficulty outplayed “Rijeka” - 3: 2, while “Hajduk” showed an excellent game at home and completely dealt with “Osijek” - 3: 0.
On Saturday, clubs will meet for the 47th time in 16 years of Croatian independence. The “blue” have so far two wins more (19-17) with 10 draws. The difference between goals scored and goals conceded is also in favor of the hosts - 58-52. The last meeting in the first round ended in a draw - 2: 2. The oddity of the match was the picky refereeing: the referee awarded a penalty three times already, and they were all debatable ...
“Hajduk” - “Dynamo” - 2: 2 (goals, 10/01/2006)
Fights in hot spots continue.
Boyan SHOCH