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Full speed ahead for Sarajevo |
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 Buoyed by a great result in their opening European game, FK Sarajevo will go into the new Bosnia-Herzegovnian season hoping for a second successive title.
Flying start
Before tonight's return, a 6-0 first-leg win in their UEFA Champions League first qualifying round tie against Malta's Marsaxlokk FC represented a flying start to the 2007/08 campaign, and with the domestic season set to start on 4 August, the wind is in Sarajevo's sails. "We aim to keep the title," said midfielder Vladan Grujić. "We have the strength and quality to make this attempt."
Title ambitions
Grujić was well aware the task would not be easy, saying: "Our biggest rivals will be, like last year, NK Široki Brijeg, NK Zrinjski, and FK Slavija Sarajevo, but we shouldn't forget our neighbours from Grbavica." Those neighbours, FK Željezničar, will meet Sarajevo in the first big derby game of the season at the Grbavica Stadium on 6 October.
European contenders
The season is set to start with a bang as UEFA Cup first qualifying round contenders Široki Brijeg and Zrinjski meet in the opening round of fixtures, with both sides harbouring legitimate title ambitions. Eliminated from the UEFA Intertoto Cup by FC Otelul Galati, Slavija may also have a part to play after surprisingly challenging for the top places last season.
New coaches
Several new coaches will be looking to bed in as the start of the season approaches, not least Ivica Barbarić, whose return to the bench at Široki Brijeg coincided with a 3-1 UEFA Cup win at home against Slovenia's FC Koper. Elsewhere, Ivo Ištuk has taken over at NK Čelik, Kemal Hafizović is back in charge at NK Travnik while Srdan Bajić is the new boss at FK Leotar.
Seventh champions
At FK Velež, Anel Karabeg has taken over from Milomir Šešlija while FK Modriča have also been persuaded to change their coach after four seasons under Mitar Lukić. Slaviša Božičić is the new man at the helm. Sarajevo became the seventh side to win the title in 2006/07. The unfancied sides in Bosnia-Herzegovina would love to see an eighth name on the trophy at the end of the new campaign.
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