148th eternal derby: Crvena Zvezda - FK Partizan 0:0 (Jelen SuperLiga, Round 24)

There was a big mess before the start of the game. It was so big, the match could start with a 40-minute delay.
The fuss started in the street. As juznifront.com reported, 30 minutes before the game a group of Grave Diggers were gathering at the southern side of the stadium with torches, when gendarmerie forces appeared and clashed with them. The result: 12 fans arrested (4 of them are foreign citizens).

Inside the stadium hell broke loose.

Some reports talk about Grave Diggers getting into the eastern tribune, where they clashed with the fans of the home team. Yet nobody talks about how they could get to the eastern side at all, when they were (allegedly) allowed only to the southern side. Other sources report about Russian guest fans and their provocation behind the entire war. A big group of Spartak Moscow fans arrived in Belgrade just for the eternal derby (Spartak fans traditionally keep up good relations with red fans).

It doesn't matter though who started it and where, it ended in a big fight.

A mere thought from the outsider: how could it happen that guest fans could get on the eastern tribune? What kind of security measures have been there, for God's sake? A regiment of gendarmerie was sent to the stadium, and even they couldn't provide secure surroundings. Tax payers' money have been paid for this, a lot of it, and knowing this, it would have been their first and foremost duty to provide the security of citizens. Or, if they can't do it, then they should all go and work as rope-dancers, together with the minister of home affairs.

And it was still not the end.
Hell extended towards the northern tribune, the place of Zvezda-fans. Home fans clashed with the gendarmerie. Result: 35 policemen injured, more than 40 people arrested, half of the stadium is ruined. There was such a big fight that gendarmerie had to ask for re-enforcement. (You can hear Partizan fans in the video to sing and chant while police forces were beating the hell out of Zvezda-fans.)

Still before the start of the game a few images went viral on the internet. These ones are the winners of the "Funny" category:

(photo: Twitter)

This is the top of all. It deserves a Pulitzer. Parrot at the eternal derby. A parrot. A parrot!!!

(photo: Twitter)

This one goes with no comment.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Yes, dear fellow fan, you see it well. In the picture there is Nebojša Čović personally, the mighty boss of KK Crvena Zvezda, surrounded by gendarmerie forces. The question comes up immediately, why is a Čović-sized person not in the VIP-section

yes, yes, we all know, the mighty boss sometimes has to show off among the poor, if not else, then for the PR

and what is he doing at the northern tribune, right next to the ultras?

Dear Mr. Čović, for God’s sake, are you really this very stupid? Is PR more important than your health? Have the remainings of your common sense just waved goodbye to you, right now, when you were with your family members? Did you really want to appear among ordinary fans right on derby day, right next to Sever, where hardcore fans live?... You are crazy. If something had happened to you, gendarmerie might have not been able to save your stupid ass from the raging crowd. That’s why VIP-sector was invented, because over there your body and health are not in danger. Mr. Čović, let me tell you, just in a friendly way, a person like you does need a sense of responsibility, at least by your position. I try to put it short and clear, so you will surely understand: You. Must. Not. Do. This. Especially not on a derby match.

Referee Mažić sent back both teams to the locker rooms before the kickoff. The first substitute players appeared at the tunnel around 18:37 walking towards the bench.
The match could have had a great start. All 22 players as well as the 5 referees walked to the kickoff wearing these T-shirts, just like the basketball team did a few days ago:

What is more, referees had a special, purple jersey, made especially for this eternal derby.

The two teams appeared at the tunnel at 18:40, and the 148th eternal derby could start after almost a half-time of delay. Kátai instantly kicked Drinčić to the ground. Zvezda was sniffing around our penalty area in the 3rd minute, but our defenders cleared. We could run up for a counter-attack, but Babović was kicked off very roughly. (In front of our goal line Andrija Živković was laying on the grass, after a God knows how brutal clash.) Free kick, Drinčić stood behind the ball and kicked from 35 metres. The ball dropped out next to the goalpost. Meanwhile a defender was pulling Volkov by his jersey, but eventually Volkov got a yellow card for complaining.
In the 5th minute red defenders could barely save from Grbić. We still possessed the ball, after Volkov’s throw-in Branko Ilić got the ball. He passed it back to Volkov, who kicked it to the middle, where defenders desperately saved to corner.
In the 10th minute Branko Ilić was fumbling too long and he lost the ball. A Zvezda-player was sneaking around there and he immediately grabbed it. For our great luck Živko Živković was also at the "crime scene" and kicked the ball out to the half-line.

It didn’t take more than 5 seconds, but it caused two heart attacks.

The truth is, at this point Partizan put Zvezda under heavy pressure. The home team was locked into their own half, playing bunker football.

One of the mass scenes at Zvezda’s penalty area

They could cross the half-line and reach our half in the 18th minute, but they did it only to lose the ball and give us a chance for a counter-attack. Grbić got a giant pass, he was running up, but the ball rolled out of the field near the goalpost.
In the 23rd minute Lazović sent a sudden, distant shot to our goal line from 20 metres. Živko Živković saved it with great self-confidence. In the 28th minute Balažic made a fantastic save, Grbić was about to run up for a counter-attack, but he was kicked brutally to the ground.

Then in the 31st minute Saša Ilić passed the ball to Babović with a movement that should be taught everywhere, in every football academy. All doors and windows were open, but Babović missed it out, with approx. 2 millimetres.

Had he scored, he would have been gone to heaven

Right after this Grbić tried, too, but his shot flew out above the crossbar.
In the 37th minute Andrija Živković sent a distant shot to the goal line, from the corner of the penalty area, but this one flew out above the crossbar as well.
Partizan kept the game under control for the entire first half. Zvezda was busy mostly with keeping our players away from their penalty area in every possible way.
In the second half, right at the beginning Andrija Živković tested the reflexes of the Zvezda goalkeeper. The shot was a bit weak, it was wide, too, but in exchange he was kicked to the ground a few minutes later.
Zvezda was playing a bit more confident in the second half. In the 53rd minute they got a free kick, about 25 metres from our goal line. Someone headed the kick too high, the ball flew out. 5 minutes later Parker headed a shot to our goal line, but it was too wide, thankfully.
In the 61st minute Grbić got a pass and immediately ran up with the ball. He shot, but the ball hit the crossbar. There was a big upheaval in the goalmouth, then the ball dropped to Brašanac. The midfielder shot, Zvezda’s goalkeeper was too far from the action, but a defender was standing right on the goal line and desperately saved it with a kick - right to Balažic. Balažic shot, but at this point goalkeeper Rajković was back and he caught the ball.

Two minutes later Brašanac tried with a shot, but it was too wide.
In the meantime Grave Diggers in the southern stands lighted torches and firecrackers. Smoke covered the field, Mažić paused the game.

We used this pause for water supplement and some discussion

The match continued after 4-5 minutes (in the 70th minute).
In the 73rd minute Saša Ilić was substituted (Šaponjić was his substitue). The Captain got a huge applause and chanting, even Zvezda-fans applaused.

Zvezda tried to take advantage immediately and attacked in the 74th minute. Jović ran away all of a sudden from between two Partizan-defenders. Živko Živković ran out from the goalmouth, but thankfully (mostly to him and to Brašanac) nothing dangerous happened. Three minutes later the opponent got a free kick, dangerously close to our goal line (almost on the penalty area line). Again Živko Živković, again his giant save.

Zvezda had a row of chances. Distant shots, free kicks, either Živko Živković saved, or another Partizan-player (e.g. Drinčić) threw himself into the way. Most important is that our net did not shake.
The 90+1st minute brought another dangerous try from Zvezda. We attacked, but the home team robbed the ball and ran up for a counter-attack. Jović got a long pass, he was all alone, but after this he instantly got two Partizan-defenders on his back. Finally Balažic cleared.
The game tore to pieces for the final minutes. There were a lot of fouls, Mažić whistled with almost every of his exhales. In the 90+4th minute Andrija Živković was tackling inside the red penalty zone, but his shot hit a defender. We had some attacks left even for the very last moments. In the 90+6th minute substitute player Ninković ran up, but the goalkeeper rushed out of the goalmouth and saved. Finally in the 90+7th minute we got a free kick from 18 metres to the goal line, but the shot was too wide.

Well-deserved celebration

Saša Ilić was put on a pedestal

Highlights (no official highlights, only this short video):

Facts:

Venue: Rajko Mitić Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 44 120
Referee: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Dejan Petrović - goal line assistants: Danilo Grujić, Dejan Filipović)

Crvena Zvezda: Rajković - Cvetković, Pavičević, Jovanović, Anđelković - Kovačević - Lazović, Stojanović (Ristić, 66.), Kátai, Jović (Orlandić, 90+2.) - Parker (Bosančić, 82.)
Head coach: Nenad Lalatović

FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Volkov - Drinčić, Brašanac (Marković, 88.) - A. Živković, Babović, S. Ilić (Šaponjić, 73.) - Grbić (Ninković, 90.)
Head coach: Zoran Milinković

Yellow cards: Jovanović (3.), Volkov (5.), Kovačević (40.), S. Ilić (59.), Balažic (76.), Drinčić (85.), Kátai (88.)  

Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 57 points
2. CZ 52 points
3. Čukarički 47 points
4. Vojvodina 40 points
5. Novi Pazar 39 points
6. OFK Beograd 35 points
7. Rad 34 points
8. Jagodina 30 points
9. Mladost 30 points
10. Borac 26 points
11. Radnički Niš 26 points
12. Donji Srem 25 points
13. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 25 points
14. Napredak 24 points
15. FK Voždovac 21 points
16. Radnički 1923 15 points

(Unmarked photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

News

The football team got another brand new sponsor. This time Ktitor, a company of office furnitures promised to give sponsoral support to Partizan for a year.

(photo: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

It just popped to my mind, we need an applause effect that is commonly used at sitcoms for such events, to reinforce the reaction needed from the public. As an alternative, a laughing crowd effect could also be used.

***

Josh Akognon said goodbye to the basketball team. The point guard came to Partizan by default only until the end of the season to help us get back to Euroleague. We failed to qualify, at the same time Josh got seriously injured on his shoulder. The official statement says, the contract was terminated on a mutual agreement.
- I'm very sad that I have to leave Belgrade without winning the title and qualifying to Euroleague - he said. - My shoulder injury is also deteriorating.
- Partizan has the world's best fans - he added. - I have never been a part of anything like that. I wish them health and success in everything they do!
About the team, coaches, staff and teammates he said: - They will forever be my family. I love you all and thank you for the time you let me be a part of Partizan family. Once again I'm sorry I wasn't 100 % to be able to help you on the court.
Belgrade is a great city that warmly welcomed me. I will never forget this experience. I will always follow you and wish you a lot of success in the future!

Thank you, Josh, thank you for being here, thank you for risking even your health to help the team. I hope someday you will return to Partizan. Take care, get well soon from your injury, and all the very best!

RK Partizan - RK Radnički 33:31 (Superliga play-off, Round 5)

The handball team achieved their first victory in the play-off of the championship. In the beginning we were on the lead (9:7), but then Radnički took it over in the 20th minute of the first half (11:12). They managed to keep it up even in the 27th minute (14:16), but we could equalize for the half-time (16:16).
In the second half we kept things under control. Our advantage was always 2-3 goals (25:23, then 28:25, two minutes before the end 31:30).
The best player of the game was Vanja Ilić with his 14 goals, but the real hero of the day was goalkeeper Mihailo Ilić, who saved the enormous shot of Radnički’s Aleksandar Bosić in the very last second of the match, before the end buzz.
The Save of the Year:

You can watch the first half here, the second half here.

Current play-off standings:
1. Vojvodina 8 points
2. Spartak Vojput 5 points
3. Jugović 4 points
4. Metaloplastika 3 points
5. Radnički 3 points
6. Partizan 3 points

The volleyball team qualified for the superliga final

My bad. I have forgotten about the volleyball team, being overly busy with basketball eternal derbies. Still our basketball players were victorious three times over Novi Pazar, qualifying themselves to the final of the Serbian superliga.
The first match was on the 16th. It was won to 3:0 by Partizan. We won the first set to 26:24, which was definitely a nice job, after Novi Pazar took the lead to 20:22. Finally, after the guest team's mistakes we won the period.
The second set was a nip and tuck game. It was unsure for long who would win. Finally Partizan made it to 28:26, after being able to control the game.
For the last part Novi Pazar slowly but surely fell to pieces. We made it to 14:10, then with the imposing series of Dušan Lopar we won the last period to 20:10.

Group hug after the first match

We won the second match to 3:1. The first part was a smooth 25:18. The second was a bit more difficult, because Novi Pazar resisted hard (at a pont they were leading to 14:17), but Marko Nikolić took the team on his back, that’s how we could win to 25:22.
The guest team cranked themselves up for the third set and they won to 22:25 after a huge battle. But the Mrdak-Majstorović duo took things under their control for the last part and the Parni valjak rolled through Novi Pazar with a result of 25:12.

Marko Nikolić in action

The last match was a victorious 0:3 away game. In the first part we made it to 11:16. We kept the five-point difference (16:21), with the final result of 18:25. The second part was even easier in the beginning (9:16). Novi Pazar stroke back and reduced the difference to 19:21, but we were unstoppable and won this set to 22:25. The final period gave a sweat to both teams. Partizan again took the lead (10:16), Novi Pazar reduced the difference again (19:21), what is more, at a point they equalized (24:24). Finally we turned out to be stronger and keeping the game more under control. We won the last set to 26:28. We qualified to the final, where we’ll meet Crvena Zvezda.

(Photos: zurnal.rs)

KK Partizan - KK Crvena Zvezda 73:81 (Adriatic League semifinal, 4th match)

We are eliminated.
Gosh, it was just terrible.

Pionir Hall had a brutal full house. Even the previous match was a total, absolute full house, but reports said, at this one there were even more people.

Fans were holding a banner with Bogdan Bogdanović before the match.

Members of the football team could be seen, too, on the tribunes. They surely arrived in a mortal hurry from ul. Humska.

If you look into the VIP-section, dear visitors, you can see other legends as well.

The moment when the two trainers shake hands.

The body language says it all. The always nervous, always restless Radonjić vs. the calm, cold, almost fish-blooded Duško Vujošević...

The beginning was actually not that bad. Milosavljević tricked the big and slow Marjanović in a way that Average Fan applaused.

Milutinov presented then a GIANT slam dunk (I was searching all over Youtube for a video - I found none, there is this photo only). (6:0)

Then Zvezda started to reduce the difference (6:5). Still, the red team was absolutely nervous, Mitrović got two personal fouls within the first 3 minutes. Murić put himself into action and scored 4 points (10:5).

Murić was definitely the best player of Partizan at this game.

Kalinić entered the game at this moment, he got a warm (not...) welcome with whistles, booing and hissing. Kalinić probably also decided to win the Moron of the Year Award, because he immediately started to mock Saša Pavlović.
Meanwhile Mačvan worked hard to increase the difference. At 14:9 he pushed the ball into the ring from almost the other side of the backboard (16:9). Murić scored as well, in a rather imposing way (18:11), Tepić made the difference to be two-digit (21:11). But Williams pushed himself hard, and after his 3-pointers we ended the first part with 24:22.
In the second quarter wrestling got started. Rolling on the floor, killing each other discreetly, but surely. In the meantime Milutinov blocked Kalinić with an elegant and totally humbling movement. A few moments later he did the same to Zirbes, what a joy it was to see it.
At this point of the game both teams missed out a lot of chances. Not as if I’d be terribly sorry for Zvezda’s fumblings, but when our players were blocked, well, those were tough moments. Mačvan was again heavily disliked by the referees, plus we paid the price of all the lost chances: Zveza equalized (30:30).
Fouls started to happen again. Just like at the previous matches.
Now we all know what it means.
Those were right who said "free throw gifts for Zvezda".
The standing switched to 32:35.
The half time result was 36:38, Murić scored soon before the end.
The second half was much worse.
In the third quarter Zvezda used their "brickwall" mode for defending. It was terrible. Marjanović was on full speed. Referees took our simple blocks as fouls. The whole quarter was bitter, teeth-clenching and full of struggles. Zvezda was always ahead with 1-2-3 points. Once we could equalize, Kalinić got a technical foul after continuously picking at Saša Pavlović. Pavlović punished them ruthlessly (49:49). Fouls came after fouls, with barely any field goals. Murić scored a few, he threw one even at the very end of the period (58:64).
The last quarter was a nightmare.
Who knows what kind of doping Williams took before the game, but he was on an inhumane speed. Kalinić brought the maximum out of the "assholesteron" drug. He literally sat on Murić, the referee didn’t whistle, yet he whistled technical foul on Mačvan, God knows, why. It was too much even for Mačvan.

"Mr. Referee, are you really this idiot, or you worked on it?"

"Screaming Jesus on a Ferris-wheel, he is really this idiot..."

...and if even Duško Vujošević thinks you are this idiot, then you’re hopeless.

Zvezda was still on the lead, the difference grew slowly but surely to 5-6 points (64:70). Meanwhile Milosavljević was fouled out, after he was pushed on the ground (!). The difference was almost two-digit (68:77), but thanks to Tepić’s free throws, we could control it (70:77). A Zvezda-player made a foul - no whistle. Murić did the same - immediate whistle, foul, free throw for Zvezda (70:78). In the last moments Kalinić was also fouled out, but it didn’t make any difference. Grave Diggers were showing love and support for Partizan in the last moments, even before the final whistle.

The last score was Bezbradica’s free throw (73:81).

The match ended with scandal. Partizan-fans overwhelmed Zvezda’s bench and players with all the small (and bigger) signs of their pure love. (They threw smaller objects at them, making the whole red team running back fast to their locker-room.) There were still post-match interviews on, SportKlub’s reporter was talking to the red team captain, when noises of physical fight could be heard in the background.

As it was found out later, the culprit was that same, small, fat, pig-headed Zvezda-fan who threw a torch among Partizan-players last year, after the Serbian superliga eternal derby.
In the meantime reporters talked to Josh Akognon, who played especially weak during the game. Akognon said, an injury recurrenced for him, and he had severe shoulder pains for the entire match.

...and dear visitors, that was all. Adriatic League dreams are over, Euroleague dreams are over, there is only the Serbian superliga left.

(Photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

FK Partizan - Mladost 3:0 (Jelen SuperLiga, Round 23)

The football team got a new sponsor earlier last week. This time they signed a one-year contract with Zepter. The announcement, press conference, PR-smile party and usual hype was organized in Zepter Hotel. This time only the two youngsters, Andrija Živković and Ivan Šaponjić were sent to the official party of awkward grins.

The team walked out of the grass of ul. Humska on Sunday with the fantastic spirit of this event for an easy match to win over Mladost, the team that visibly represented a totally different category.
In the 4th minute Andrija Živković’s free kick ended in a corner. Ninković stood to the corner flag to kick. Defenders cleared the area, but we still possessed the ball. Finally Ninković shot, the goalkeeper saved.
A minute later an amusing scene happened. Two Mladost-players wanted to tackle Šaponjić. The defenders crashed and fell on the ground, while Šaponjić walked away with a grin, unharmed.
In the 7th minute we sent another corner kick to Mladost’s penalty area. Marković headed it to the goal line, but it was too wide.
Then in the 12th minute Petrović ran up with the ball on the left and passed it to the middle. The ball was dropping here and there inside the penalty area, then landed in front of Marković. He shot from 20 metrs. The ball flew into the net, passing by the jumping goalkeeper, falling into the lower right side of the net. 1:0

In the 15th minute we got a free kick. Andrija Živković stood behind the ball, almost at the corner flag. The action ended in a corner. Živković grabbed the corner shot and kicked the ball to the goal line from the right. The ball flew out above the crossbar.
In the 18th minute Saša Ilić got a great pass. The Captain made a flying shot, but the goalkeeper saved it. But Šaponjić was sneaking up and headed the ball right into the net with a perfect move. 2:0

The 20th minute brought Balažic trying to head a corner kick to the goal line, but the ball hit the crossbar. Two minutes later Ninković passed to Andrija Živković. The pass was marvellous, but Mladost’s goalkeeper dauntlessly ran out and threw himself in Živković’s way. (He caught the ball, but stayed on the ground with a painful face.)
Mladost could reach to the distance of our penalty area in the 26th minute... But even then they couldn’t make it inside. One of them still tried with a very weak shot to our goal line. (Živko Živković probably didn’t even wake up from that nap he dozed off still in the beginning of the match.)

This was that point when the stream died. A desperate search followed it, and when I found one that worked, the match was in the 35th minute. Upon fkpartizan.rs’s report I missed out one try by Živković and three by Ninković, goddamnit.

Nevertheless in the 36th minute Živković put himself into action again sending a bomb from 20 metres, ending in corner.

In the 38th minute Petrović tried with a distant and sudden shot, but it was too wide. A minute later he tried again, after getting a great pass, but his shot hit the crossbar.
In the last minute of the first half Andrija Živković was dribbling himself through Mladost’s defense line and passed greatly to Saša Ilić on the other side. A defender threw himself into the way of the Captain’s shot, it ended as corner.
In the beginning of the second half Mladost seemingly tried to speed up. They had brave tryings, they took the initiative, ran up til our penalty area, but without too many consequences. The pace was definitely slower than in the first half, when Partizan was attacking heavily for the whole time.
In the meantime Mladost’s Nigerian striker, Friday stomped into Branko Ilić so heavily that the painful scream of Partizan’s defender could be heard even through the stream... Then in the 58th minute Andrija Živković ran up with the ball and passed it to the middle. The goalkeeper saved, defenders cleared, but we still possessed the ball. Ninković got it, dribbled a bit then sent it ahead, where Andrija Živković was waiting for it. He headed the ball to the goal line, the goalkeeper jumped, but couldn’t catch it. The ball slowly rolled through the goal line. 3:0

In the 69th minute Ninković ran up on the left and sent the ball to Brašanac with an amazing Oxford trick. Brašanac shot, but it ended as corner. He headed the arriving corner kick again to the goal line, but the ball hit a defender.
Not much later came Mladost’s first chance. They made a counter-attack, finally Ninković threw himself into the ball’s way, saving it to a corner. It was a great move, a bit risky, but it just made the match even more spectacular.
In the 81st minute we ran up making a counter-attack. Bandalovski ran up, then after a kind of "find the ball"-alike game (once we lost the ball, then we got it back in an adventurous way) Kojić shot, but the ball hit a defender again.

Bandalovski in action

In the 85th minute Grbić was wrestling with two defenders at once. He could still shot, but it also ended in a corner. A minute later Kojić dribbled himself through the penalty area. His shot was saved by the goalkeeper, but the ball ended at Brašanac. His shot was also saved by the goalkeeper.
For the very end, in the 90+1st minute there was one Mladost free kick left, from 22-24 metres, but it caused absolutely no headache for Živko Živković.

Highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 2000
Referee: Danilo Grujić (assistants: Milan Minić, Oliver Petrović - 4th assistant: Miroljub Petković - goal line assistants: Róbert Kis-Csepegi, Ilija Brdar)

FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Petrović - Marković, Brašanac - A. Živković, S. Ilić (Grbić, 69.), Ninković (Marinković, 79.) - Šaponjić (Kojić, 75.)
Head coach: Zoran Milinković

FK Mladost: Krznarić - Zonjić, Golemić, Otašević, Pešić - Radin, Gavrić, Adamović (Tešić, 47.) - Jovanović, Friday (Živadinović, 63.), Milosavljević (Jovanović, 78.)
Head coach: Nenad Milovanović

Goal scorers: Marković (12.), Šaponjić (18.), A. Živković (58.)
Yellow card: Marković (10.), Balažic (50.), Friday (56.)

Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 56 points
2. CZ 51 points
3. Čukarički 44 points
4. Vojvodina 40 points
5. Novi Pazar 36 points
6. Rad 34 points
7. OFK Beograd 32 points
8. Jagodina 30 points
9. Mladost 29 points
10. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 25 points
11. Napredak 24 points
12. Donji Srem 24 points
13. Borac 23 points
14. Radnički Niš 23 points
15. FK Voždovac 18 points
16. Radnički 1923 15 points

(Photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

ATTENTION!!!!

For your intention.

Saturday, 18:00: 148th eternal derby

KK Partizan - KK Crvena Zvezda 85:95 (Adriatic League semifinal, third match)

This was awful. In some way it was worse than the first match.
Pionir Hall had full house, some said there had been 8000 Partizan-fans there. (Zvezda-fans were locked out.)

Absolutely full house

(photo: Twitter) 

The boys were warming up wearing these T-shirts

The T-shirts were made to support Podrži Život Foundation (you can support them even via SMS, from any Serbian mobile network, to the number 5757)

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan) 

Approx. 30 minutes before start

Miroslav Vulićević was there in the crowd. Upon reports he stayed among fans, very modestly, with no VIP-section or any other extras. You can see he was happy to see fans approaching

(photos: Twitter)

Former Partizan football player Mateja Kežman was also there

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

And the atmosphere:

Reds sent big and slow Marjanović for the kickoff, as always. He got the ball and the standing became 0:4 within moments. Zvezda turned on the moronizer with Dangubić as their secret weapon. He was such an ace that he got 3 personal fouls within about one and a half minutes. Meanwhile Marjanović pumped himself up. I don’t know what kind of stuff he smoked or drank or injected to himself, but he surely got extra dose from the bottle with the label "assholesteron". That’s one thing he was present at all actions, may it be defense or attack, also that he made the best out of his physical abilities, most of all his height and his extra long arms. But the fact he made it all with a sly, cunning and aggressive way, that was too much.
In the meantime we equalized (4:4), Mačvan took us on the lead (6:4) and we kept ourselves, always ahead with 2-3 points, until 13:11, when Zvezda equalized. They increased the difference almost immediately, to 13:18. Marjanović surely got some very special doping before the game, also they brought the maximum out of their "sandwich" defense trick, namely when two Zvezda-players surround the attacking Partizan-player, and then in the critical moment they crash together, holding the black and white player inside, just like two pieces of bread holds a slice of ham, while the poor attacker can’t even take a breath, not mentioning to move forward.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

And there were the referees, too. This time they made no secret about their support for Zvezda. Mačvan was smashed down, the referees fouled him instead of the Zvezda-player. (For some reason today Mačvan was a black sheep for the referees.) We finished the first quarter with 20:26.
The second part started with Zvezda’s score (20:28) and it all started to look like more and more tough. The opponent avoided to use open infringements, instead they operated with small, sly and invisible tricks.

I swear they were bullying Partizan-players all the time, with these annoying little taunts. There were not just one or two fights, wrestlings and yellings during the game, seemingly almost all of them were started by a Partizan-player. Zvezda team members in the meantime looked at the referees like innocent little lambs. (LOL) I bet bullying was going on for the entire game between the players of the two teams, and no wonder some people lost their head after a while.

At 22:30 was the first fight. Saša Pavlović and Kalinić clashed, yelling at each other, and as an extra, the otherwise always humble and modest Andrić joined and yelled right into Kalinić’s face.

(photo: Twitter) 

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The referee took a big breath and gave a throw-in to us, only to whistle a foul on Pavlović a few seconds later. The atmosphere was terrible even at this point, and it wasn’t even half-time. Everyone was nervous, sometimes they were within an inch of a physical fight, meanwhile the referees took all the chances to whistle foul on us and give extra free throws to Zvezda as gift.
As an extra, a moron found Milutinov again. Through the broadcast all we could see was Milutinov standing at the bench, pressing a piece of cloth to his throat. Later he came back to the court, with a bandage on his neck, his jersey was covered with blood.

(photo: blic.rs) 

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Amazing. So, now eternal derbies mean a life threat for Milutinov. The corrupted rats of the League must make steps against it. We know you hate Partizan and you do everything to drop us out (and for sure you’re pissed that we made it to the semifinals), but when a player gets life-threatening injuries twice, both are without a doubt intentional, well, ladies and gentlemen, that is punished with suspension even at the worst places.

The difference was just growing and growing. If we could gain any points, that was mostly from free throw, if they whistled free throw for us instead of Zvezda... The opponent was ahead with 10 points, sometimes we could reduce it to one-digit, like e.g. with Milosavljević’s 3-pointer (40:49). We reached the half-time with 44:51 and so typical, the referee trio was booed while they were walking to their locker rooms.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The next period wasn’t much better either. Referees kept on wearing red-white striped jerseys, Zvezda still used their sly tricks, but there was a memorable moment:

Or when at 49:61 Milosavljević was thrown to the floor, but he still scored while falling (51:61). Then Milutinov was pushed to the ground under Zvezda’s backboard, referees didn’t whistle, but when we blocked a red attack a few seconds later, the referees took it as a foul together with a gift free throw for the opponent. At 54:70 Pavlović got into a fight with Lazić. Pavlović wanted to run up for an attack, but Lazić was standing in front of him for the whole time, pushing himself into the Partizan-player’s personal aura, keeping him back the nastiest possible way. Pavlović tried to push Lazić away, first politely, then firmly, but when Lazić didn’t seem to want to disappear at all (meanwhile having a smirk on his face), Pavlović hit him.

A few sensitive people were upset after this scene, but I will surely not judge Pavlović for this. At such a game, within such circumstances this was clearly a provocation. Lazić knew this well. He made it on purpose. After all these he should not be surprised, nor should he whine that he was punched where the sun doesn’t shine. He deserved it.

Meanwhile Zvezda chose new tactics. Whichever Partizan-player appeared under their backboard, they pushed them to the floor. Referees didn’t whistle (at the best case), but if they did, they whistled offensive foul (that was the unexplainable part).

And after all these Zvezda’s trainer was yelling and complaining from the bench.

We finished the quarter with 62:73. It was not about basketball long ago.
For the last quarter the opponent’s tactics were surely to eliminate Mačvan, no matter how brutally, no matter what kind of unsportsmanlike way, the most important was to keep back our power forward from action. Zirbes got this very noble task and he did his best (with the referees’ help). Mačvan was on the floor for almost the entire period. They also tried to knock off Milosavljević with this method.

Zirbes liquidating Milosavljević

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Despite all we made it to 74:75. We were just a step ahead from taking the lead back.
That was the point when the referees entered.
They whistled for everything. Really everything. A simple block was a foul on Milosavljević, while Mačvan being smashed on the floor was just a "go ahead". Milosavljević was pushed to the ground, we could go ahead. Kalinić was blocked, foul and free throw. And so on. And we still reduced the difference to 84:91, even this way it didn’t seem impossible to win. But referees were ruthless. They didn’t whistle even when three red players were stomping on Milosavljević, but Zvezda still got free throw for everything. That’s all, folks, that’s what happens when people abuse their power. The end result was 85:95, 4th game comes today at 21:00.

Update:
There’s a video circulating all over the interwebs. It shows Kalinić approaching the referee after a foul, asking him to whistle rather to Jović instead of him. The referee is a nice guy, who is always willing to serve Zvezda and their players. Eventually he whistles the foul on Jović.
WHAT THE FUCK???
ABA League, explain shit, punish, suspend, demolish, plow it up and sow it with salt, immediately.
Right. Now.