Sinisa Mihajlovic Dies Aged 53 After Long Battle With Leukaemia

Sinisa Mihajlovic has died at the age of 53 following a long battle with leukaemia.

Mihajlovic was first diagnosed with leukaemia in 2019.

He was successfully treated but was then diagnosed with the illness for a second time earlier this year.

Mihajlovic had been Bologna manager until September when he was fired following a poor start to the season.

He had previously managed Sporting Lisbon, Torino, AC Milan, Sampdoria, Serbia, Fiorentina and Catania.

Mihajlovic progressed into coaching after a memorable playing career, which included spells at Inter Milan, Lazio, Sampdoria and Red Star Belgrade.

He won Serie A with both Lazio and Inter.

But the biggest achievement of his club career came in 1991 when he was part of the Red Star team that won the European Cup.

Sinisa Mihajlovic has died at the age of 53

IMAGO/Marco Canoniero

He earned 63 caps at senior international level for Yugoslavia between 1991 and 2003.

A Serie A statement read on Friday: "His impact in our game, country and hearts will be forever remembered."

The Serbian FA added: "Football has lost too soon a champion of Europe and the world, one of the best performers of free-kicks in the history of football, player, coach and selector, a man who left a deep mark in the history of Serbian and Italian football with his career."

A minute of silence was observed in Mihajlovic's honor ahead of the Women's Champions League game between Roma and St. Polten on Friday evening.