The center back of Rudar Prijedor, a club in the Bosnian top division, warns the Azzurri: “Barbarez’s team is aggressive, has determination and should not be underestimated”
The most wanted man of the last 24 hours is Fabrizio Danese, defender of Rudar Prijedor. “My cell phone is flooded with phone calls, everyone wants to know my opinion on the match”. To make it simpler: Fabrizio is an Italian (the third) who plays in Bosnia, Italy’s next opponent in the direct clash to access the World Cup. “My teammates have been teasing me for days, they are sure that Italy will lose, especially after seeing the video of Dimarco and his teammates that went viral.” Danese responds from Prijedor with fluent Roman: he began his career at Lodigiani like Totti and in life he also marked Lewandowski. Not bad for someone who started from Serie D.
Fabrizio, tell us your opinion: how does Bosnia-Italy end?
“I obviously hope for the Azzurri to win, but it won’t be easy. Bosnia has a good mix of experts and young people. Alajbegovic is the best talent they have. But Italy has four World Cups, they are favourites. Even if in these matches the balance always reigns, especially due to Bosnia’s home factor. My teammates in the group wrote to me all sorts of things: ‘We win’, ‘we’ll defeat you’. After the video of Dimarco and his teammates they are even more excited. But also this is the beauty of football.”
Which team is Barbarez’s?
“Aggressive and never gives up. Against Wales they suffered until it was 1-0, then they could have scored three. It’s a team that shouldn’t be underestimated and that has determination, a bit like all the Bosnian people.”
What is Italy’s consideration in Bosnia?
“Italians are seen very well here. Just enter a supermarket to find lots of Italian products: the cultural and gastronomic influence is really strong. When I moved, I was struck by how many Bosnians living in Italy wrote to me: ‘We want to come and visit you’, ‘Host me, please’. You can sense a great sense of connection and affection.”
Here if you do well they notice you, they give you an opportunity. In Italy however…
Based on your experiences abroad, what are your thoughts on why Italy hasn’t been to the World Cup for 12 years?
“I’ll give you a practical example. When I came here to Bosnia in January I took the place of Abel Pascual, a Spanish defender who after six months was bought by Borac Banja Luka, the best Bosnian team. This is to say that if you do well, they notice you here. They give you an opportunity. In Italy the talent is there, I’m sure, but how many go from Serie C to B? Or from Serie B to Serie A? Almost nobody. When I played at Ceuta I faced Real Madrid B: there were Arribas, Nico Paz, Raul Asencio. Talents who then made the leap. Italy is a country that has no patience to wait for young people, that judges too early and that focuses on too many foreigners”.
“No, because Celik Zenica plays in the second division. I’ve never faced them. Sarajevo played us in the cup a month ago and the stadium was full, the crowd pushes a lot here. There are particular stadiums in Bosnia: some are still under construction, others are surrounded by buildings, others are modern. The best is Grbavica in Sarajevo. The clubs invest a lot in infrastructure, they want them to be the flagship of the country. As do the young people.”
Let’s stay on topic. At what stage is Bosnian football at youth level?
“There is great trust in the young people. In the team with me there is Nedim Keranovic, a very quality attacking midfielder from 2006. He plays as a starter and has already been called up by the Bosnian Under 21 team. In Borac, first in the table, they are putting their trust in Jusuf Terzic, a central defender from 2007. In Bosnia they are not afraid of introducing a twenty-year-old in the 70th minute to turn a game around, that’s it.”
More generally, what level of football is there?
“I play in the first division. The level is high: there is less technique, but great intensity in the matches. If you go slowly, the opponents will tear you to pieces. The training sessions are almost always based on sprints, speed exercises, resistance. Even if we are lucky enough to have a coach who played for Real Madrid, Perica Ognjenovic: he likes to make us play well. In Spain they wrote that we are the team that plays best in Bosnia, together with Sarajevo, third in the table. However, I bring with me from Italy a good set of tactics.”
Why are you last in the rankings?
“The team was built late. I arrived in January, there were already structural problems. And then a lot of bad luck: penalties not called, VAR used badly, a bit like in Italy. We are still six points from safety with ten matchdays to go.”
Are the weeks also ablaze with controversy over VAR in Bosnia?
“It happens all the time. In one match, our striker suffered a clear stomp from an opponent: the VAR called the referee back to review the action, as it was a clear mistake, but he didn’t change his decision. Newspapers, TV and local broadcasters dedicate hours of broadcasts to criticizing the use of the VAR. In this sense, Bosnia and Italy are very similar.”
How was the player-fan relationship experienced in those parts?
“Like in Italy. If you win you are God and people offer you everything if they meet you on the street. If you lose, it’s better not to be seen.”
Curiosity. You spent a good part of your career between Spain and Andorra: how did you end up in the Balkans?
“When I was playing in the Andorran Serie A I met a boy, Roberto Corral, who plays with me today. In November he mentioned my name to the coach, who began to view me together with the club on Wyscout, which they use a lot in Bosnia. I liked them, they explained the project to me and I accepted”.
Did you have any problems with the language?
“I’m lucky that there are some Spanish teammates on the team. In general I use English, Bosnian is a very complicated language, I’m trying to learn it. The coach also speaks Serbian.”
At 20 I signed with Chievo and never made my debut. De Ligt, at 16, was training with the Ajax greats. This is the difference between Italy and abroad
Was it a life choice to leave Italy at 23?
“Arzachena was my last Italian team. I played in Serie C and I didn’t see any room for growth. It’s a category that gives you very little market. You only get to Serie B if you win the championship. Every year I have offers to return, but I’m afraid of being trapped in a bubble. I know many Italians who have had success abroad. There is room for few in the football elite. At 20 I signed with Chievo and I never made my debut, only on loans. De Ligt, at 16, was already training with the Ajax greats. This is the difference between Italy and abroad.”
What is it like facing Lewandowski for someone who has worked his way up?
“It was the round of 16 of the 2023 Copa del Rey: Ceuta-Barcelona, the final result was 0-5. I played the last twenty minutes, an incredible emotion. Seeing these giants of football up close is incredible. But also kids like Pedri and Gavi: it doesn’t take you long to understand that they are all on another level.”
You also manage yourself.
“I haven’t had an agent for years: the only one I had only served his interests and not mine. I’ll tell you more: I once remained five months without a team in the best period of my career, when half of Spain wanted me, in the second division. The Italian markets, and not only that, are unfortunately controlled by these figures. Then there are also good agents, I don’t doubt it.”
We close with a memory. The beginnings at Lodigiani, a bit like Totti…
“I trained at the La Borghesiana sports center, where the Italian national team often came for training camp. But also Serie A teams. Manchester United was there for a match against Roma.”
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