Wales-Bosnia, the Tahirovic case breaks out among Italy’s possible opponents

We Italians know well – from experience – what it means to play for the World Cup in the playoffs. But we are not the only ones to experience the week leading up to the match on maximum alert from inside or outside. The tension also plays tricks on our possible opponents in the eventual (precisely because you can never be too careful) final, i.e. Wales and Bosnia, who will compete on Thursday in the other semi-final. And former Roma player Benjamin Tahirovic, who has become a real player, has something to do with it casus belli between the two federations in an absurd situation which also involved – in spite of itself – a Danish club. But let’s go in order.

the tahirovic case

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With 27 appearances in all competitions, Bosnian Benjamin Tahirovic – former jewel of Mou’s Roma – is one of the pillars of Danish Brondby. Or, at least, that’s how it was in the first part of the season. Then, in the last month, he was systematically excluded from the rotations by the (Welsh, and it’s not a detail) coach Steve Cooper: just 13′ played in the four most recent games, those leading up to the national team playoffs. And suspicions and accusations are pouring in from Bosnia, with coach Sergej Barbarez openly pointing the finger at Cooper: “Tahirovic told me things bordering on the unbelievable – explained Barbarez -, which are probably closely connected with the nationality of his club coach. Also because Cooper wished him good luck for everything, but not for the national team”. Not only that. The Bosnian coach then explains that the player would have received reassurances that “everything would return to normal, but only after the break”. Bosnia’s theory is clear: the Welsh coach of Brondby would have deliberately excluded one of the best players of the opposing national team with the aim of making him lose his form in view of the playoffs. Conspiracy theory or truth? The border is thin when you play a lot.

Brondby denies everything

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However, Brondby directly took care of dismantling the conspiracy, through communications manager Soren Hanghoj, Danish and therefore – at least in theory – above all suspicion: “The decision to exclude Tahirovic is of a disciplinary nature and has nothing to do with the national teams”. Then underlining that “this type of measure is not exclusively the responsibility of the coach, but also of the club and the management”. End of suspicions? We will see.