Sinisa Mihajlovic: 'War, Patrick Vieira and Adrian Mutu'

The Serbian tactician spoke to the Corriere dello Sport and went through his youth, including the civil war.

“The first house destroyed was mine. It was destroyed by my best friend, who was Croatian,” explained Mihajlovic.

“We were like two brothers. I couldn’t accept he had done this and the doubts and pain were always with me. Then in 1999 or 2000 we played in Croatia and one day my friend arrived at the hotel.

“We started talking and he told me he was forced to do it precisely because everyone knew we were friends. He said: ‘I tried to tell your parents in every way possible that they had to leave. I had to knock down the house, because otherwise they would’ve killed me.’”

Mihajlovic has often been at the centre of controversy during his career, above all as a player, though insists he has matured since then.

“When I was playing, I always needed an ‘enemy’ to give my all. In Belgrade the bombing was going on and I was getting ready to say anything and everything to Oliver Bierhoff.

“Instead, he was smart. Before the game, he came over to me and said he was very sorry for what was happening in my country, because my people did not deserve it. ‘I am with you.’ I couldn’t beat him up after that. It was very disappointing.”

Miha famously exchanged racist insults with Vieira during a Lazio-Arsenal game in 2000.

“After that whole incident, we became friends. During a match he called me a ‘****ing gypsy’ and so I retaliated by calling him a ‘****ing n***o.’ I could’ve easily said it wasn’t true, but that’s not my way, so I confirmed it.

“Mutu, who I spat at, was worried when I arrived at Fiorentina. I told him not to worry about it, that it was my fault and I apologised.”

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