Chapter 73 - 71: Sarajevo’s Revenge Battle

Chapter 73: Chapter 71: Sarajevo’s Revenge Battle

March 12th. Mostar Town, Jirinsky Stadium.

Even after the winter break, the townspeople’s passion for watching the matches remained as high as ever.

Mostar Zrinjski’s outstanding performance was a source of pride for the town’s residents. Thanks to the team’s success, the town was getting a lot of screen time in the Bosnia and Herzegovina media. Reporters frequently came for interviews, which greatly increased the town’s visibility and made it easier for them to promote themselves.

Under these circumstances, their love for the team grew even stronger.

Today was an important day. They were set to face the second-place team in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League on their home turf.

The formidable Sarajevo Football Club.

In the 22nd round, they had easily defeated Velez, concluding the second cycle of the league season.

And now, at the start of the third cycle—the 23rd round—they were about to face Sarajevo.

This would also be the last head-to-head clash between the two teams this season.

The matchup between the capital’s football club and the small-town club was an extension of the classic city-versus-town rivalry.

The city team looked down on the small-town country bumpkins.

And the small-town fans, in turn, saw them as a bunch of pretentious scumbags!

With these emotions and conflicts fueling the fire, the atmosphere of the match was even more explosive.

Jirinsky Stadium had undergone some simple renovations during the winter break, the most important of which was expanding its capacity for fans.

Previously, a crowd of just over 5,000 fans would pack the stadium, but now it could hold 10,000.

Nearly 7,000 fans poured into the stadium for this match, a clear sign that Mostar Zrinjski’s games were gradually becoming more influential within the town.

"So lively!"

Atgeni had arrived in Mostar the previous night.

After resting for two days, he had come to the small Bosnian town of Mostar to do his scouting work.

This time, his target was a young Croatian player named Suq.

According to Be?i?’s evaluation, the kid had exceptional attacking abilities in the final third.

Of course, this was all based on television footage, which couldn’t capture many of the details. Only by being here in person could he get a clear picture.

Atgeni’s job was to grade Suq and put together a scouting report.

He had a brief data sheet in his hand.

[Name: Suq]

[Height: 161 cm]

[Weight: 50 kg]

[Strengths: Impressive Speed and Explosive Power, skilled at organizing and directing attacks in the final third, possesses consistent Short Pass ability.]

[Weaknesses: Not skilled in physical confrontations, body is too frail.]

This was a preliminary report based on Be?i?’s recommendation and didn’t hold much value for reference.

Everything would come down to the actual performance.

This match just happened to be a clash of titans in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League, and this kind of high-stakes game was more likely to bring out a player’s true abilities and performance.

Atgeni felt he had chosen the right time to come.

Atgeni made his way to his seat on the left side of the stadium. It offered a great view, allowing him to see the entire field.

After he sat down, the stadium’s DJ began to introduce the players for the match.

Starting with Captain Kosopech, the players were introduced one by one, and cheers erupted wave after wave.

When it was Modric’s turn, the cheering reached a crescendo.

ROOOOAR—

"Luka is really popular!"

Atgeni smiled, resting his chin on his hand.

As a prodigy from Dinamo Zagreb, Modric enjoyed the adoration of everyone at the club.

If not for the issue with the Mostic brothers, he wouldn’t have ended up playing in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League.

But seeing the fans’ reaction, Atgeni was relieved.

A genius will shine no matter where you put them.

With Modric’s talent, his performance here was bound to be outstanding.

The fans’ cheers were the most authentic form of feedback.

But soon, an even louder roar erupted.

ROOOOAAAAAAAAAR—

Amid the cheers, Atgeni saw Suq walk out with his hands raised high.

His appearance brought the stadium’s cheering to its absolute peak.

"He’s this popular?"

Atgeni was taken aback.

This roar was clearly much louder than the one for Modric, which meant Suq was even more popular.

Suq walked onto the field with his hands raised, waving continuously to the stands, which sent wave after wave of cheers through the crowd.

Suq was more popular than Modric, but that didn’t mean he was a better player.

It was just that compared to the quiet and reserved Modric, Suq’s cheerful and approachable personality was more endearing.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

It was the same principle!

Suq knew how to work the crowd. He was closer to the fans, so naturally, he received more of their affection.

However, Modric wasn’t too bothered by it; he only cared about winning or losing the match.

As the Mostar Zrinjski players took the field, the Sarajevo players followed.

However, they were met with a stadium full of boos, which certainly put some pressure on them.

Suq Bazhi held his head high. As one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s own soccer prodigies, his fighting spirit for this match was blazing. He was determined to crush Mostar Zrinjski and get his revenge.

In the previous cycle, they had lost to Mostar Zrinjski on their home ground, a humiliating defeat in itself. He was here to even the score and give Suq a taste of what it felt like to lose at home.

The starting lineups for both teams were as follows:

Mostar Zrinjski (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Kish.

Defenders: Haskic, Mashovich, Hajdari, Kerpic.

Midfielders: Boban, Camnal, Modric.

Forwards: Billiar, Kosopech, Suq.

...

Sarajevo (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: Ivanqi.

Defenders: Bakrov, Ivan Krich, Bechevic, Istevic.

Midfielders: Jurinovic, Me?kapeci, Tolister.

Forwards: Jakovovich, Suk Mazic, Tiremanqi.

As both teams stood on the field, a tense and explosive atmosphere began to spread.

Whether it was Sarajevo’s quest for revenge or the battle for the top of the league table, everything contributed to the incredibly intense pre-match atmosphere.

In the stands, the scout Atgeni watched Suq and made a few adjustments to his notes.

Suq didn’t look like he was 161 cm anymore; he seemed a bit taller.

He didn’t look as small as he did on the tapes.

...

"...Mostar Zrinjski is once again attacking from the wings, primarily continuing their offensive push down the left flank with Suq. Suq is also actively dropping back to link up play and organize, constantly feeding the ball into threatening areas in the final third..."

The match had just begun, and neither team was engaging too aggressively; they were in a relatively tentative, probing phase.

During this period, Suq wasn’t trying to break through on the wing, instead focusing more on coordinating with his teammates.

At the same time, Suq was observing the opposing fullback. His opponent from last time, Jorijac, wasn’t on the field; he was on the bench.

The starting fullback this time was a relatively young player named Istevic.

’I don’t know much about this guy,’ Suq thought, ’but to be in the starting lineup for Sarajevo, he must have some skill.’

The match remained in its probing stage.

Meanwhile, in the stands, Atgeni had entered work mode. He carefully observed Suq’s movements and playing style, constantly looking down to write.

"...A bit on the short side, excellent agility and flexibility. Needs to improve his one-on-one ability and his desire to take players on..."

"...Regarding Speed, his Explosive Power is very strong, allowing him to shake off defenders in an instant. Long-distance sprinting ability is TBD. He’s an explosive type of player. (His quick footwork gives him the potential for multiple changes of direction in a short time.)..."

"...Presses well, has a strong fighting spirit, often tracks back to help with defense, and makes aggressive forward runs on the counter-attack..."

"...His Short Pass is very consistent, and his Long Pass ability is not bad..."

Just as he wrote this, Atgeni’s pen suddenly twitched in his hand.

The roar from the crowd suddenly intensified.

Atgeni gasped in astonishment.

"What was that?"

He saw Suq use the outside of his foot to deliver a stunning, curving pass.

The ball hugged the ground, zipping through a gap in the players, curving behind the center-back, and landing precisely in an open space on the other side.

Suq had carved an outrageous arc across the field with the ball.

"Rainbow Pass!! It’s the Rainbow Pass!! Suq’s signature move!!"

The commentator, Basodachi, shouted in excitement.

Ever since the last match against Tuzla Slobo?a, Suq hadn’t attempted a pass like that.

So, when the Rainbow Pass reappeared on the field, the entire stadium erupted.

However, the pass seemed a bit overhit. Billiar couldn’t catch up to it before the ball went out of bounds.

From the sideline, Billiar gave Suq a distant thumbs-up, taking the blame himself.

Suq just waved his hand. He knew full well that he had overhit the pass.

But after that one attempt, his heart leaped with excitement, and his passion for the game surged even higher.

With the appearance of the Rainbow Pass, the atmosphere in the stadium became electric.

Suq’s pass had a huge impact on the Sarajevo players.

Even Tolister, who had played in the Five Major Leagues, clutched his head in astonishment.

’A pass like that,’ he thought, ’if it had connected, would have been a spectacular highlight even in the Five Major Leagues.’

’A pass like that has no business being in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Super League!’

In the stands, Atgeni was speechless for a long moment.

That pass, a pass that crossed the field like a rainbow, kept replaying in Atgeni’s mind.

In all his years as a scout, this was the first time he had ever seen a pass like that.

The most crucial part was the sheer distance and the incredible curve on it, as if the ball could turn a corner.

It was undeniable that the Rainbow Pass had made a huge impression on Atgeni.

His gaze toward Suq became fervent.

’If!’

’Just what if!’

’If that pass hadn’t been overhit, if he practices it a bit more, it would absolutely blow Be?i?’s fucking mind!’