Serie A legend: Sinisa Mihajlovic has passed away at the age of 53 after leukemia fight
(Picture: Getty Images)Sinisa Mihajlovic, the accomplished former Serbian footballer and manager who spent the majority of his career in Italy, has died at the age of 53 following a long battle with leukemia.
Mihajlovic’s passing was first reported by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, leading to an outpouring of grief from across the football world - not least the country where he became a household name as a player and free-kick specialist during spells with Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan in the league’s 1990s and early 2000s heyday.
He later managed the likes of AC Milan, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Torino and Bologna, where he had worked as recently as September before departing after a difficult start to the 2022/23 season.
“Serie A is deeply saddened by the passing of Sinisa Mihajlovic, an icon of football and life,” the Italian top-flight said in a statement.
“His pure class as a footballer and coach, his strength and his humanity are an example that leaves an indelible mark on Italian and world football.”
Lega Serie A is extremely saddened by the passing of Siniša Mihajlović 🙏 @SerieA pic.twitter.com/gIlDnnEysj
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 16, 2022
A communication from Mihajlovic’s family read: “His wife Arianna, with their children Viktorija, Virginia, Miroslav, Dusan and Nikolas, their granddaughter Violante, their mother Vikyorija and their brother Drazen, in pain, communicate the unjust and premature death of their husband, father, son and exemplary brother, Sinisa Mihajlovic.
“A unique man, an extraordinary professional, available and good to everyone. He courageously fought against a horrible disease.
“We thank the doctors and nurses who have followed him over the years, with love and respect, especially Dr. Francesca Bonifazi, Dr. Antonio Curti, Prof. Alessandro Rambaldi, and Dr. Luca Marchetti.
“Sinisa will always remain with us. I live with all the love he has given us.”
Mihajlovic also earned 63 caps for Yugoslavia during his glittering playing career, scoring 10 goals and appearing at the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship.
He was part of the Red Star Belgrade team that famously lifted the European Cup in 1991, becoming only the second eastern European team to achieve the feat, also winning three domestic titles across spells with Red Star and Vojvodina.
In Italy, he won a host of silverware with Lazio and Inter, including Scudettos in 1990-2000 and 2005-06, in addition to four Coppa Italia crowns and three Supercoppa Italiana trophies. He also claimed the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Super Cup with Lazio.
Mihajlovic ended his playing career aged 37 in 2006, boasting the Serie A record for most free-kicks scored in the league’s history. 28 of his 38 strikes in Italy’s top division were from set-pieces.
He later served as assistant to Roberto Mancini at Inter, before beginning his managerial career with Bologna in 2008.
He also took charge of Catania, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, AC Milan and Torino, as well as spending a year in charge of the Serbian national team between 2012-13 and an ill-fated nine-day 2018 spell in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon.
Mihajlovic returned to Bologna as Filippo Inzaghi’s replacement in January 2019 and steered them clear of relegation before six months later announcing his diagnosis of high-risk myeloid leukaemia.
Mihajlovic underwent three cycles of chemotherapy treatment and a bone marrow transplant but revealed earlier this year that tests had shown there could be a risk of a reappearance of the disease.
In March he had announced a new course of treatment, but sadly lost his battle with the illness in a Rome hospital on Friday.
