Obituary of Sinisa Mihajlovic
Serbian coach trained 'Loco' at Fiorentina between 2010 and 2011
Sinisa Mihajlovic died in Rome from leukemia at the age of 53, and Juan Manuel Vargas, whom he coached at Fiorentina between 2010 and 2011, bid him an emotional farewell.
"Rest in peace warrior, great man, great gentleman. Strength to the Mihajlovic family," wrote 'Loco' through his Instagram account, joining the tributes in honor of the deceased former football player and coach.
The Serbian's wife, Arianna, and their five children, mourned the "unfair and premature death" of the player who defended the colors of Roma, Lazio, Sampdoria, and Inter Milan in a statement to the Italian agency Ansa.
He was "a unique man and an extraordinary professional" who announced his illness in the summer of 2019, they added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni highlighted "an example of bravery for those who face illness." "You fought like a lion both on the field and in life," the leader wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, the Red Star wrote on Twitter: "The legendary Sinisa Mihajlovic has left us today... A great player of the Red Star and a man with incredible heart and strength."
Mihajlovic was fired in early September as the coach of Bologna. The Serbian publicly expressed his confusion over this decision after three and a half years at the club, marked by his battle against leukemia.