Chapter 52 - 50: Wreak Havoc

Sarajevo Football Club.

As the capital's team, they were financially sound and boasted a larger fanbase.

Consequently, their training facilities and stadium were a cut above the rest.

「Morning.」

Suq Bazhi, who didn't have a driver's license yet, arrived at the club for today's match, driven by his father.

The towering Suq Bazhi had to duck his head when getting out of the car, and in a crowd, he was head and shoulders above everyone else.

"Suk, over here!"

Suq Bazhi saw his teammate calling him, said goodbye to his father, and walked over.

"Morning."

Suq Bazhi greeted his teammate, Tolister.

Tolister was only 175 centimeters tall and stood a full half-head shorter than Suq Bazhi.

Every time he saw Suq Bazhi, Tolister couldn't help but marvel at how the man towered over everyone.

"Heard Moscow Central Army from the Russian Premier League made you another offer?"

Tolister said, sipping an iced coffee as they walked toward the locker room.

Suq Bazhi nodded. "Yeah, they want me to transfer during the winter window."

The Russian Super League and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League were both under UEFA.

Although both were teams in European leagues, there was a clear hierarchy based on league rankings and intensity.

For instance, the Russian Super League was currently ranked among the top ten leagues in all of Europe.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League, on the other hand, was ranked 34th.

One could say the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League was in the lower-middle tier of European football.

Therefore, joining a team in the Russian Super League was undoubtedly a step up.

But Suq Bazhi clearly didn't see it that way.

"I want to give it another shot here at Sarajevo. If we can make it to the Champions League group stage, I might have a chance to go straight to one of the Five Major Leagues."

Suq Bazhi was ambitious. He didn't want to waste time taking a roundabout path; he wanted to join one of the Five Major Leagues in one go.

Suq Bazhi was very confident in himself, believing his talent was worthy of the Five Major Leagues.

At this, Suq Bazhi looked at Tolister and asked, "What's it like playing in the Five Major Leagues?"

"What's it like?" Tolister took a sip of his coffee, smacking his lips as he thought for a moment. Then he grinned. "Higher, stronger, faster!"

Tolister sighed. "Both Meškapeci and I were failures. It's not easy playing there. It's not just about the football itself; there are so many other problems you have to deal with. You have a real shot at making it there, and we'll support whatever decision you think is best."

Suq Bazhi nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Tolister."

By the time they entered the locker room, almost all the players had gathered.

"We're playing Mostar Zrinjski today. They're old rivals. Kosopech won't just stand by and watch us win. And that Croatian prodigy they signed last season, Modric, has been playing exceptionally well. We have to be careful."

Ivan Krich, captain of both the national team and the club, reminded his teammates to take the match seriously.

But even without his reminder, the players were already treating it with utmost importance.

As a powerhouse in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League, Mostar Zrinjski had always been a formidable opponent that allowed for no carelessness.

"Oh, right! Their team seems to have a Suk too," the winger Tiremanqi said with a laugh. "A 160-centimeter center forward named Suk."

The others chuckled. There wasn't much mockery in it; they just found the height amusing.

And from the matches they'd seen, this little guy wasn't easy to deal with.

Although he shared the same name as their own star center forward.

But the two of them were completely different types of forwards.

The Sarajevo players started to jeer good-naturedly.

"Suk, the other Suk is coming to challenge you!"

"He's no threat, right? He's too short."

"They're not even in the same weight class!"

"Hey! You're underestimating our Suk."

Suq Bazhi frowned slightly. He didn't like being the butt of the joke.

So, Suq Bazhi said coolly, "I'll crush him with my performance."

"Ooooh!"

Hearing that, the others cheered even louder.

...

「Afternoon, around two o'clock.」 Both teams arrived one after the other at Fihatovic Stadium, located on the outskirts of Sarajevo.

This was Sarajevo's home ground, a stadium with a capacity of 35,000.

However, it wasn't a dedicated football stadium. A plastic running track separated the fans from the pitch, and the view couldn't compare to that of a professional stadium.

For this match, nearly 10,000 Sarajevo fans had poured into the stadium.

After all, being the capital, both the population and the football market were more robust.

Moreover, this was a direct confrontation between the first and second-place teams in the league. The fans were eagerly anticipating a clash of titans.

Mostar Zrinjski had some traveling fans, but not many—only about 300.

300 versus 10,000. The disparity was obvious. The Mostar Zrinjski fans couldn't even make themselves heard.

The entire stadium was filled with the deafening cheers and chants of the Sarajevo supporters.

"This is Round 14 of the 2002/2003 Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League season: Sarajevo versus Mostar Zrinjski."

"Playing at home, Sarajevo has fielded their favored 4-5-1 formation. The main defensive line of Bosnia and Herzegovina national players is led by Ivan Krich. In the midfield, Meškapeci and Tolister form the most stable partnership. The two wingers, Tiremanqi and Jakovovich, can apply pressure down the flanks. And at center forward is their towering striker, Sarajevo's 18-year-old phenom, Suq Bazhi!"

As the commentator's voice boomed, the home fans erupted in thunderous cheers.

Suq Bazhi!

Suq Bazhi!

Suq Bazhi!

You could tell from the fans' cheers just how much they adored Suq Bazhi.

"Challenging them away from home is Mostar Zrinjski. They are a veteran powerhouse of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League and also Sarajevo's greatest rival."

"Their defensive line, a partnership between Mashovich and Hajdari, is comparable to Sarajevo's own iron defense."

"In the midfield, the Croatian prodigy Modric has had many brilliant performances this season. He already boasts an impressive record of 5 goals and 3 assists. This time, he'll be put to the test by Tolister and Meškapeci. Can the Croatian talent handle the pressure?"

"And up front, Mostar Zrinjski is not to be underestimated either."

"They have their own towering center forward, Kosopech, left winger Billiar, and right winger Suk!"

"If you've watched Mostar Zrinjski play, then a short player in the number 99 jersey will have left a deep impression on you. Also named Suk, this player from Croatia is only 17 years old—a year younger than both Modric and Suq Bazhi. He's only 160 centimeters tall, but his performance is something you'll never forget!"

The commentator's voice echoed from the speakers under the stadium roof.

In the players' tunnel, Suk heard the announcement and gritted his teeth. "Did you really have to bring up my height? Bastard!"

The Mostar Zrinjski players stifled their laughter.

Suk was always extremely sensitive whenever his height was mentioned.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Sarajevo players also looked at Suk with curiosity.

Even Suq Bazhi was sizing him up. After all, his miniature stature was just too intriguing. 'What does he rely on to perform on the pitch?'

Just then, led by the head referee, they walked onto the pitch.

ROOOOAR!

The cheers from the crowd instantly intensified.

The roar of over 10,000 fans immediately electrified the stadium.

It wasn't just the Mostar Zrinjski players; even the Sarajevo team needed a moment to adjust to the suddenly explosive atmosphere.

The starting lineups for both teams were as follows:

Sarajevo (4-5-1):

Goalkeeper: Ivanqi.

Defenders: Bakrov, Ivan Krich, Bechevic, Jorijac.

Midfielders: Jakovovich, Jurinovic, Tolister, Meškapeci, Tiremans.

Forward: Suq Bazhi.

...

Mostar Zrinjski (4-4-2):

Goalkeeper: Kish.

Defenders: Haskic, Mashovich, Hajdari, Kerpic.

Midfielders: Boban, Camnal, Modric, Suk.

Forwards: Billiar, Kosopech.

Suk's position was side-midfielder, so he wasn't listed as a forward but as part of the midfield.

Furthermore, Suk rarely broke through along the sideline. He primarily operated in the half-spaces, creating a separation between the wing and the center.

This allowed the full-back to make overlapping runs and Modric to push forward into the center.

Of course, the concept of the "half-space" wasn't well-defined at the time. It was just that Suk always drifted into this area, and the attack became much smoother when he did, so Van Stiake let him play that way.

After the captains' coin toss, Sarajevo would kick off first.

Before the match began, the atmosphere in the stadium grew even more fervent.

Suk jumped up and down, trying to get his body fired up.

Personal Panel:

[Diamond Card (Special Class) Inzaghi's Awareness]

[Yellow Card (Special Class) Bosschenoqi's Interception]

[Red Card (Skill Card) Tolister's Passing]

[Red Card (Special Class) Andre's Flying Leg]

[Red Card (Skill Card) Robert's Dribbling]

[Red Card (Skill Card) Status Recovery Card]

Suk nodded in satisfaction. 'I'm ready to cause some chaos.'