Metalac - FK Partizan 0:1 (superliga, round 10)

We kickstarted this game literally, right after walking out to the pitch of the Gornji Milanovac stadium. Everton shot from the distance (too wide). And that’s how we continued. Both teams had a sweeping start and kicked - no, not the ball, but each other.
There were too many of these very rough clashes. Partizan’s medical team rushed on and off the pitch more during this one game than the entire season.

Partizan’s medical team picking the pieces of Miletić

Metalac also tried with an attempt here and there, having a break from chopping Partizan’s players. They made a smaller goalmouth scramble in the 4th minute, in the meantime Leonardo got his own, personal barnacle defender that kept on hanging on the Brazilian for the whole match. Kljajić had his first job in the 7th minute, catching Caicedo’s right cross. He again caught another, distant shot in the 11th minute. From this we started a counter-attack. Janković crossed, Leonardo was blocked by defenders in the last moment, but we still possessed the ball. We kept Metalac’s goalmouth under pressure, with no attempt though.
Janković was kicked to the ground twice within two minutes, both times he had a painful face laying on the grass.

Today was not Janković’s day. Whenever a Metalac-player got next to him, Janković was immediately kicked or elbowed down

Metalac had two attempts in a row. First was in the 17th minute, the second in the 18th minute. First Rovčanin had a distant shot (too high), then Jovanović tried from the goalmouth (corner-kick). We got two free kicks, first in the 23rd minute. Leonardo shot, 20-22 metres from the box. The ball rolled through the penalty area, everyone was way behind it, then it dropped out of the pitch through the baseline. Then in the 30th minute, again Leonardo shot. The goalkeeper had a big save, Leonardo pushed the ball back to the goalmouth, Đurđević headed it, the goalkeeper caught it. In the 35th minute Metalac had an attempt, for our great luck Caicedo missed the cross coming from the right.

I noticed something and it was so great to see that we are starting to act as a TEAM. There is teamwork and harmony, not just 11 players running up and down the pitch the way they just want. They watch each other and most of all, every little detail among them is dovetailed. This is something you must continue to do in the future, too, boys!

On the pitch there wasn’t much action to watch except the many fouls. Finally in the 42nd minute Jevtović made a distant cannon shot, the goalkeeper saved. Then in the 44th minute Janković made a fantastic dribble, Metalac’s player - probably as a sign of appreciation - kicked him to the ground. The whole Partizan-bench got on their feet, everyone was yelling around, the referee obviously lost control of the scene. Finally he gave a yellow card - to Everton.

The Brazilian didn’t do anything this time. 

Janković, when he is in action and not on the ground, kicked down

We started the second half with a row of attempts. Đurđić headed it in the 47th minute (too high), right after him Leonardo shot (the goalkeeper saved), then again him in the 51st minute with a distant shot (too high). The pace slowed down a bit, but the game was the same heated and full of clashes like in the first half. Metalac had a chance in the 56th minute, Jovanović shot, too high. Right after that Đurđić had a try again, he headed it, too high.
Then in the 61st minute Leonardo just simply stole the ball from a Metalac-player. He ran up, slalomed himself through the defense line, then made a cannon shot from 20 metres. And scored! 0:1

Leonardo shoots...

...and scores. Watch the body language of the Metalac-player

Saša Ilić was about to join the game as a substitute. He surely didn’t mind waiting a bit more to step on the pitch (he could celebrate anyway)

From then on not much happened. Metalac struggled, they had no useful idea at all, out of chopping Partizan-players ahead. The pace simply disappeared, attempts lacked. Though in the 78th minute Đurđević missed out a huge chance. Miletić crossed to the middle, there Đurđević, seriously, he was only 3 steps away from the box, and he missed it out. Then Mitrović had a 30-metre bomb shot to our box, too wide. For the rest of the game Đurđević was chopped mostly instead of Janković (the latter one was substituted in the 81st minute). Leonardo also got his "package", for his luck he was about to get substituted, so he walked off with the help of the medical team. At the very end Đurđević had one last try, the goalkeeper saved.

Highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Metalac stadium, Gornji Milanovac
Number of spectators: 3000
Official: Milan Ilić (assistants: Milan Minić, Ivica Stojanović - 4th official: Danilo Grujić)

Metalac: Belić, Nikodijević, Simović, Otašević, Bondarenko, Panić, Mijić (Mitrović, 77.), Rovčanin (Tomić, 67.), Jovanović, Stojanović, Caicedo (Mladenović, 67.)
Head coach: Nenad Vanić

FK Partizan: Kljajić, Vulićević, Balažic, Miletić, Jevtović, Everton, Janković (A. Stevanović, 81.) Leonardo (Mihajlović, 87.), Đurđević, Đurđić (S. Ilić, 62.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Goal scorer: Leonardo (61.)
Yellow card: Otašević (22.), Đurđević (39.), Everton (44.), Jovanović (65.), Panić (82.)

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 25 points
2. Vojvodina 23 points
3. Radnički Niš 20 points
4. FK Partizan 19 points
5. Mladost 18 points
6. Napredak 16 points
7. Spartak Subotica 16 points
8. Metalac 14 points
9. FK Voždovac 14 points
10. Rad 12 points
11. Javor 9 points
12. Radnik 9 points
13. Novi Pazar 8 points
14. OFK Bačka 7 points
15. Čukarički 6 points
16. Borac 6 points

(photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

RK Partizan - Vojvodina 27:26 (superliga, round 3)

Mea culpa. I almost forgot about this game. It was back on Wednesday, yes, on the same day as the Serbian Cup qualifying. I don’t know whose idea it was, but I send them my warmest (NOT) greetings, because it could be a great game, I assume it was one of the best, if not the best of the season.
Sportuzivo.tv broadcasted it though, I could watch approx. the first 30 minutes. It was not an easy game. Not at all. At least at that point it wasn’t. Looking at the statistics the rest of the game wasn’t any easier. Vojvodina was leading for the whole time. In the beginning it was 3:2 for a short while though, but Team Novi Sad switched it to 3:5.
Then it was 4:10.
Our boys were fighting hard. They put their heart and soul out to the court, but Vojvodina’s goalkeeper saved everything. I swear he even had an evil little smile on his face as well. But even that didn’t keep our team back.
10:12. Then 12:13. The team was on full speed so much, that 2 minutes before the end of the first half it was 13:15, then we equalized for the half-time (15:15).
In the first part of the second half Vojvodina kept their advantage, but this time we allowed them to be ahead with 2-3 goals only. Then in the 49th minute we equalized with Stevanović’s goal (22:22), then Živković took the lead for us!!! (23:22). There was no mercy. Stevanović scored again (24:22)
The last 7-8 minutes surely brought a game on the edge. 53rd minute. Vojvodina reduces the difference to 24:23. Živković has an instant reply (25:23). Vojvodina equalizes with clenched teeth (25:25). What is more, they take back the lead in the 57th minute (25:26). 59th minute. Kukić, who was playing in top form during the whole game, equalizes (26:26). And afterwards, almost immediately, in the same minute the Captain scores the winning goal. 27:26, time for the end buzz, WE WON!!! Well done, boys!
The hero of the day is Lazar Kukić with six goals. He is followed by 3 players, all scoring 5-5: Nemanja Živković, Darko Stevanović and Igor Mršulja. Vuk Milenković and Andrija Đuričić both scored 2-2 goals, while Nikola Ivanović and Aleksa Maksić added 1-1 to the victory.
PS: I hope sportuzivo.tv. will upload this game to Youtube. It will be worth to watch it (again). (If it’s uploaded, I’ll put the link here.)

Darko Stevanović smashing

Partizan bench on their feet

Captain Mršulja and one of his cannon shots

No Vojvodina-player can get any further, Pižurica (13) and Perunčić are watching

Milenković scores, even from the floor

Well-deserved celebration

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 5 points
2. Šamot 65 5 points
3. Dinamo 4 points
4. Spartak Vojput 4 points
5. Sloga 4 points
6. Vojvodina 3 points
7. Požarevac 2 points
8. Partizan 2 points
9. Morava 2 points
10. Metaloplastika 2 points
11. Rudar 1 point
12. Jugović 0 point

(photos: Facebook/Super Rukometna Liga Srbije)

FK Partizan - Napredak 3:1 (Serbian Cup, 1/16 final)

We won with half speed.
Really. We didn’t need any struggle at all. And even this way we made it as a routine victory, with three goals. It was really an easy, post-derby game. At first Napredak made a try, they had an attempt in the 5th minute (too wide). Then it was just some sleepy passing around for quite a while (though Napredak tried again in the 15th minute, Jovović shot, too wide). Then in the 19th minute Đurđević got the ball after a Partizan free kick. He shot right there, but defenders blocked him. No problem, the ball dropped back to him. He caught it, grabbed it and made a cannon shot right into the middle of the box. 1:0

Đurđević shoots...

...then runs out to head coach Marko Nikolić

The pace didn’t get any faster afterwards, it was still this easy, workday afternoon training game atmosphere as earlier. Despite the easy-going ambience, the 26th minute brought the second Partizan-goal. Đurđević passed to Đurđić, who has been performing with more and more self-confidence, but two defenders arrived and blocked the attempt.
Or well, they rather thought they blocked our attempt.
Because Leonardo appeared out of the blue, pushed himself aggressively between the two defenders, grabbed the ball and mercilessly shot it. And scored, too! 2:0

This brought a bit more life to the game. In the 32nd minute Leonardo passed to Đurđić. Đurđić crossed to the middle, but Napredak-defenders headed the ball out.
Then in the 36th minute we practically settled the final score. Leonardo shot, the goalkeeper saved, but the ball dropped - again - to Đurđević. Đurđević sent it to the box with a fly-kick. 3:0

Nothing else happened for the rest of the first half. We kept on playing with half-speed, but even that was enough.
In the second half Šljivić was about to shot after a corner-kick in the 48th minute, but he hit the ball in such a twisted way that it was painful to see. (The ball flew out of the pitch through the baseline.)
The game was still this easy, passing-around styled event, same as in the first half. We had two attempts, first Marjanović shot from 22 metres in the 52nd minute (too high), then two minutes later it was Đurđević again, shooting from a sharp angle (too wide). Then in the 56th minute Kljajić had a MARVELLOUS save. Corner-kick, Vukanović headed it to the box. 3:1

Oh well. They can’t say they didn’t score.

The 61st minute brought another cardial arrest. Napredak got a corner-kick, making a big goalmouth scramble, then the ball rolled out through the baseline in the very last moment. (Then Kljajić yelled off the entire Partizan defense line...)

Kljajić is getting better lately. No more fumblings, no more dropping-the-ball-from-the-hand-and-killing-the-nerve-cells-of-fans, no more butterfly catching. He is more and more confident and made great saves now as well as on the derby.

Sekidika’s red card was the next that stirred up the laziness a bit. He knocked down Vulićević in the 71st minute - it wasn’t the first time for him. He already had a yellow card, the referee sent him off.
Other than this Đurđić had two attempts

told you that the boy is getting into shape...

first he got a great pass from Kosović in the 74th minute. No flag up, Đurđić shot, it was a quite good one, just the goalkeeper was in the way.  He had another in the 87th minute, heading the ball to the box after a corner-kick, but it was too wide.

Highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 3000
Official: Ilija Brdar (assistants: Jovica Milin, Darko Savović - 4th official: Miloš Đorđić)

FK Partizan: Kljajić, Vulićević, Ostojić, Milenković, Miletić, Everton, Marjanović, A. Stevanović (Janković, 75.), Leonardo (Kosović, 67.), Đurđić, Đurđević (Vlahović, 80.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Napredak: N. Petrović, Varga (N’Diaye, 40.), Urošević, Projić, Simonović, Šljivić, Šarac, Vulić (B. Petrović, 69.), Vukanović, Gobeljić, Jovović (Sekidika, 46.)
Head coach: Dragan Ivanović

Goal scorers: Đurđević (19., 36.), Leonardo (26.), Vukanović (56.)
Yellow card: Đurđić (24.), Urošević (50.), Vulić (63.), Sekidika (66.) Everton (83.), Miletić (89.), Vlahović (90+1.)
Red card: Sekidika (71.), second yellow card

(photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

Šamot 65 - RK Partizan 25:19 (superliga, round 2)

Yes, we started this season with round 2. No joke. We would have clashed with Metaloplastika in round 1, but that game was postponed/cancelled, so far there’s no info about the background reasons.
As a start we got defeated by the newbie Aranđelovac team Šamot 65.
It was a very painful defeat, we didn’t really have any chance. At the very beginning of the game there was one point when we were leading to 1:2 for a moment (with Milenković’s goal), then the home team quickly equalized and in the 16th minute it was already 7:4 for them. The first half ended with 12:8, then the second continued with 14:8, then 16:10. We even got 8 penalties (scored from 6), while Šamot got not more than two. We still couldn’t work it out. The match ended with 25:19, Stevanović scored one goal in the last minute for us.
Three of our players scored 4-4 goals (Nemanja Živković, Vuk Milenković, Lazar Kukić), Aleksa Maksić added 3 to the end result, while Darko Stevanović and Nikola Ivanović both earned 1-1 goal.
This video is the only audiovisual material I could find all over the internet about the match - big thanks to RTV Šumadija for uploading it to Youtube.

152th eternal derby: FK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 1:0 (superliga, round 9)

WE WON!!!

What a game it was, unbelievable.

Teams arrive for the start

(photo: partizan.rs)

Partizan's bench

(photo: Facebook/partizan.net)

That's how the Southern Tribune looked outside the stadium

(photo: kurir.rs)

...and that was from the inside

(photo: Facebook/partizan.net)

...and the game hasn't even started...

(photo: partizan.rs)

After the kickoff the two teams started to strangle each other. It was a very heavy start, the first 10 minutes brought a great fight, it was in fact spectacular at some moments. Players went hard on themselves as well as on each other, there were lots of fouls, yelling (with each other and with the referee). The atmosphere was of a true, real football derby.
The first attempt came in the 10th minute. We got a free kick at Zvezda's penalty area line, after Ristić kicked Jevtović to the ground

some complained for penalty kick, but ArenaSport’s slow motion replay made it clear that the foul happened just outside the penalty area. Had Ristić slided in just half a second later, it would have happened inside the penalty area

Leonardo stood behind the ball to do the free kick. He shot, the entire stadium was on their feet shouting "goooal", but finally the ball rolled out of the pitch, missing the box with just half a centimetre.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Zvezda could not reach up to our penalty area. The truth is that our defense line was on top. They blocked the hell out of the opponent. (If Zvezda could get to Partizan’s penalty at all...)

Gregor Balažic was again the axis of the defense line, just like in the good old days

(photo: partizan.rs)

Great battle. That was on the pitch, though with barely any goal attempt. In the 22nd minute Đurđević had a distant shot, the goalkeeper caught it. In the 25th minute it was again Đurđević trying. He shook off the defender constantly hanging on him, then shot from 16 metres, it was just a bit too wide.

Đurđević had a fantastic performance at this derby. But not just him. The entire team brought the best out of themselves.

Đurđević with the defender-in-charge chasing him

(photo: hotsport.rs)

We had another chance in the 27th minute. Leonardo got the ball after a free kick, he forwarded it to Đurđević. Đurđević shot, right onto the side net.
In these minutes Zvezda had to play it defensive. Partizan-players played it brave and combative, they ran a lot, attacked, there was no idle moment at all.
Zvezda could reach our penalty area in the 29th minute, when Kljajić had to interfere for the first time. Srnić had a shot from a sharp right angle, Kljajić pushed it to corner kick.
In the next minutes Zvezda possessed the ball more, another thing is that they could just pass it around in the background. Partizan’s defense line locked up. Zvezda pressed us hard, but they could not force out one single attempt (maybe only piles...). Finally Ruiz shot in the 33rd minute, but the ball hit a defender. Kljajić didn’t even have to make any extra jump or save, the ball fell right into his hands.

Filip Kljajić

(photo: partizan.rs)

Zvezda struggled ahead, with clenched teeth, but they could not break through our defense.
In the meantime fans made a fantastic coreography on the Southern Tribune.

Remembering fellow fans who passed away

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Partizan attacked. We spent much more time around Zvezda’s penalty area than they could reach our half at all. They managed to do it once, in the very last minute of the first half, when Petković shot from 16 metres, but Kljajić saved it easily.

Coreography in the first half

(photo: partizan.rs)

Zvezda tried to speed up for the second half. In the 50th minute Gabonese midfielder Kanga shot from 18 metres after a counter-attack. Kljajić easily saved it.

It’ll be the worst joke ever, but I just have to. Did he leave Baby Roo in the locker-room? I hope though, Winnie The Pooh is a Partizan-fan...

In the 52nd minute Ristić was dribbling on the left side, then crossed to Vieira. The Portuguese shot - and the ball flew out of the stadium. Three minutes later Ruiz wanted to cross to the middle, Srnić was waiting there, but it was flag up.

The slow motion replay made it clear that it wasn’t offside. Srnić was a half step backward compared to the defender. It didn’t matter much anyway, because Srnić shot, but just like Vieira, he kicked the ball out to the tribune.

A minute later the same scene happened at the other side, with Đurđević being offside.
In the 59th minute Stevanović crossed from the right. Đurđević headed it, the ball hit the crossbar. In the 62nd minute Baby Roo Kanga shot again from 18 metres, it was way too wide. The game was very combative, with lots of clenched teeth, not that spectacular as it was earlier, but it brought a lot of fight. Players ran a lot and clashed a lot on both sides. In the 74th minute again Đurđević shot, it was too high.

Enter Saša Ilić, 77th minute

(photo: partizan.rs)

With the arrival of Saša Ilić the pace sped up. We attacked, but we still couldn’t develop an attempt, until the 86th minute. From that moment on Partizan played a dream game.
Leonardo ran up on the left side. He made a big solo, dribbled, finally defenders blocked him. But we didn’t stop for a moment. Zvezda got stuck at their penalty area, while Partizan kept on searching for the gap on Zvezda’s defense line like a tank steam roller. In the 89th minute their defenders wanted to kick the ball downfield. They did so, but the ball dropped right to Saša Ilić. The Captain sent it ahead to Đurđić in the middle. Đurđić headed it ahead to Leonardo. Leonardo made a fantastic, amazing, flying bicycle kick and scored a huge goal right into the middle of the box.

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!

1:0!!!!

In the 89th minute!!!!!

Leonardo makes the bicycle-kick...

(photo: Facebook/Partizane naš si ponos)

...and it’s celebration time

You scored it! Yes, you

(photos: hotsport.rs)

Those who regularly read this blog know, that I haven’t been the fan of Leonardo, so to speak. But this time the Brazilian was absolutely the best. He scored a fantastic, beautiful, spectacular goal in the 89th minute, settling the final score of the derby as well, and he worked a lot during the entire game, too, running, passing, dribbling, while Zvezda’s players continuously kicked him to the ground. Great job, Leonardo, keep it up!
Also big respect and hats off for Đurđić not just for the great assist, but for working hard for the whole time he was in the game. He too ran a lot and took his part in the attacks. The former ball-phobiac Đurđić was gone, instead we had a brave, combative, dauntless, team player Đurđić on the pitch.
Well done, boys!

Nikola Đurđić

(photo: partizan.rs)

There was one last attack by Zvezda in the 90+2th minute. They ran up for a counter-attack, Kanga forwarded the ball to Ruiz. Kljajić ran out of the goalmouth, Ruiz dribbled him and shot. Half the world watched it breathlessly

Average Fan fell on the floor screaming

but Kljajić ran back and caught the ball with a cat-alike jump.

(photo: partizan.rs)

Then in the 94th minute referee Mažić gave the final whistle to the game.

WE WON!!!!

WE WON!!!!!!!

It was time to celebrate.
They deserved it.
We deserved it.

(photos: partizan.rs)

(photos: hotsport.rs)

(photo: partizan.rs)

SOS Kanal’s 37-minute-highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade

Number of spectators: 25 000

Official: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th official: Srđan Milutinović - additional assistants: Igor Stoilković, Marko Popović)

FK Partizan: Kljajić - Vulićević, Balažic, Milenković, Miletić - Mihajlović (A. Stevanović, 46.), Everton, Jevtović, Leonardo - Bojinov (Đurđić, 67.), Đurđević (S. Ilić, 77.)

Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Crvena Zvezda: Manojlović - Petković, Le Tallec, Luković, Ristić - Donald, Poletanović, Srnić (Anđelković, 85.), Kanga, Ruiz - Vieira (Plavšić, 70.)

Head coach: Miodrag Božović

Goal scorer: Leonardo (89.)

Yellow card: Ristić (11.), Balažic (17.), Jevtović (23.), Ruiz (30.), Vulićević (83.)

Current championship standings:

1. Vojvodina 23 points

2. CZ 22 points

3. Radnički Niš 17 points

4. FK Partizan 16 points

5. Spartak Subotica 16 points

6. Mladost 15 points

7. Metalac 14 points

8. Napredak 13 points

9. Rad 11 points

10. FK Voždovac 11 points

11. Radnik 9 points

12. Novi Pazar 8 points

13. Javor 8 points

14. OFK Bačka 7 points

15. Čukarički 5 points

16. Borac 5 points

Borac Čačak - FK Partizan 0:2 (superliga, round 8)

Routine victory. We won over Borac with two confident goals.

Vulićević was the team captain

The match started in the usual style. We attacked heavily in the first 20 minutes trying hard to score, with no success though. While for Borac, the only thing they could gain was a red card in the 18th minute, when Maslać got his second (!) yellow card and had to leave the pitch. From then on Team Čačak played with 10 players.
The first mentionable attempt was in the 26th minute. Bojinov crossed from the right, Đurđević in the middle missed it with just one step. It ended with a corner kick.
After the strong start the pace started to slow down around the 30th minute. Average Fan thought - with a tired sigh - that the game would be again like the others earlier, we make it until the end with the most simple passing around. But in the 38th minute a free kick came from the right side. Jevtović pushed it with his head, then Miletić jumped up and headed it into the box. Goal! 0:1

What is more.
Barely 2 minutes passed, when Borac’s defense made a great mistake. Mihajlović took advantage, grabbed the ball, tackled the goalkeeper, then the entire defense line and sent a cannon shot into the box. 0:2

Mihajlović shoots...

...and it’s celebration time

Đurđević had one more try at the end of the first half, shooting it just a little bit too wide.
In the second half we had a great attempt in the 58th minute (until then there wasn’t much to mention). Vulićević crossed to the middle, there the goalkeeper performed a great save from Đurđević.

This game was in fact rather good. There was pace, there was fight, sometimes it was even spectacular. We attacked. A lot. With conception in our attacks.

There was still some cabaret in the 80th minute. Vulićević crossed, someone shot, the goalkeeper had a great save. The ball dropped downfield, again someone shot. The goalkeeper again saved, but he dropped the ball out of his hand. Bojinov was right there, "zicer" situation, all doors and windows were open, the problem was that he was on an XXL-sized offside. He shot the ball into the box, but the referee had whistled it off before he raised his leg to shoot.
Đurđević had one last try in the 85th minute (too high), then in the 88th Janković sent a flat shot to the box, the goalkeeper saved.

Highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Stadium FK Borac, Čačak
Number of spectators: 6000
Official: Majo Vujović (assistants: Dejan Petrović, Dejan Potočan - 4th official: Róbert Kis-Csepegi)

Borac Čačak: Aleksić, Tanasin, Maslać, Drašković, Obradović, Bogdanović, Delić (Marčić, 61.), Stanković (Krstić, 24.), Zoćević (Baldé, 86.), Sajčić, Thiago
Head coach: Ljubiša Dmitrović

FK Partizan: Kljajić, Vulićević, Milenković, Balažic, Miletić, Marjanović (S. Ilić, 65.), Jevtović, Mihajlović (Janković, 63.), Leonardo, Đurđević, Bojinov (Vlahović, 85.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Goal scorers: Miletić (38.), Mihajlović (40.)
Yellow card: Maslać (10.), Milenković (33.), Tanasin (79.)
Red card: Maslać (18.), second yellow card

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 22 points
2. Vojvodina 17 points
3. Radnički Niš 16 points
4. Metalac 14 points
5. FK Partizan 13 points
6. Spartak Subotica 13 points
7. Napredak 12 points
8. Mladost 12 points
9. FK Voždovac 11 points
10. Rad 10 points
11. Novi Pazar 8 points
12. Javor 7 points
13. Radnik 6 points
14. Čukarički 5 points
15. Borac 5 points
16. OFK Bačka 4 points

(photos: partizan.rs)

News, news, news

I’m about to puke.
Dragan Mance passed away 31 years ago. Average Fan is about to have a quiet day with lighting a candle and remembering with old videos.
No way.
Average Fan opens the news feed and a railway carriage sized dung and garbage starts to flow. That’s all about having a quiet remembrance.
Let’s start with football.
The team’s management gathers together again, trying again to elect a president instead of the temporary Ivan Ćurković.
Rumours say that it’s been a done deal for a while, as the current management put vice president Milorad Vučelić to the presidental chair underhand. The election that is supposed to be held on 12th (or 14th) September is just a formality. Of course it’s not official yet, but more or less you can take it as a shoo-in. Mondo.rs tells about the other candidate Nenad Bjeković has no actual support after the current leadership discharged everyone who was about to vote for him. Ćirković just added, Vučelić would be a much better candidate than him. (Ćirković will surely not enter as a candidate this time.)

Let’s not try to find out what he got from the management for this declaration.

What really made my eyebrows raise was a half-sentence by Mondo saying that fans also support Vučelić against Bjeković. I’d really like to look into the eyes of these alleged fans (in case this rumour is not fake), and I’d like to see each and every one of them the certification from a psychiatrist (with stamp and signature) that they are all sane.

***

Aleksandar Džikić is rumoured to stand up from KK Partizan’s bench. The head coach has been weary of the continuous uncertainty, the pressure, but most of all of the double standards that have been used against Partizan lately. Sources mention Džikić has been considering this decision since when it came to light that there will still be a Serbian team in Eurocup.

Originally Partizan was this team, but the Serbian Basketball Association said that if Partizan entered the competition, the team would be excluded from the Serbian championship. Partizan finally decided to cancel entering the series - meanwhile they had enough troubles with FIBA as well - then they thought this newly founded basketball Champions League could be a kind of life-belt for the team.

And this team is not else than... FMP!
Thank you, Čoki, thank you, KSS!
I’m not surprised at all that it was too much for Aleksandar Džikić. It’s a miracle that he could bear it all until now.
What is more, the successor of Džikić was also mentioned. The press told about Miroslav "Muta" Nikolić as KK Partizan’s possible next head coach. Nikolić is currently the second trainer of the Serbian men’s national basketball team.

Miroslav Nikolić

(photo: zurnal.rs)

A slight blessing in disguise is that the basketball team signed another player, 22-year-old Stefan Pot, who already debuted in the team at a friendly pre-season game against Besiktas (Partizan won to 83:77).

Stefan Pot

(photo: mondo.rs)

That’s all for now.

***

And now stand up and salute silently for a minute.
Legends live. In our hearts, in our memories, on photos, in videos and on the walls of buildings.
Dragan Mance - † 03. 09. 1985.

(photo made by the author)