Dejan Stankovic destroyed for Sinisa Mihajlovic

The words of Dejan Stankovic

Dejan Stankovic, as a friend but also a former comrade and compatriot, spoke about Sinisa Mihajlovic, who lost his battle with leukemia before Christmas.

“Sinisa’s death has taken away all my words. I feel an immense emptiness inside that I have never known before,” the Sampdoria coach said during an interview with Il Secolo XIX. “I am still young and fortunately I still have all my loved ones. Everything I had is gone with him. I am left with the memory and the great pride of having been part of his life.”

“We needed a break to rest and put fresh energy, physical and mental,” he added, taking stock of his team. “Everything went smoothly. The players worked hard. They were honest, mainly to themselves. Then also toward me and my staff. They behaved like true professionals. We worked hard, there was only some fatigue. In the last friendly with the Kazakhs, I didn’t want to take risks and I spared Vieira, Gabbiadini, etc. Now we have another week of training in Bogliasco to prepare for a real battle until the end. Someone in this retreat had to give answers, not only to me, but especially to himself. If he is ready to endure, to fight with the pressure, with the importance of the club and its goals. If he can’t do it, say so. I appreciate every answer, but not those who make excuses.”