How the Arena said goodbye to Vujošević: A flood of tears, an unforgettable film, Dule's image on cutouts, and scattered roses /VIDEO, PHOTO/
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- You can follow the Partizan vs. Žalgiris game live on the Sportal website.
Partizan bids farewell to Duško Vujošević, their most decorated and arguably most influential coach in the club's history. Fans, his former players, and club personnel couldn't hold back tears. They were greeted in the arena, in the stands, by large cardboard cutouts featuring the legendary coach's image.
Before the game, a film showcasing moments from his illustrious career with Partizan was shown.
Novica Veličković, Milenko Tepić, Saša Pavlović, Miloš Vujanić, and Joffrey Lauvergne were seated beside the black-and-whites' bench.
Players took to the court wearing warm-up shirts adorned with his likeness. When the film began, the entire Arena fell silent, and many in the stands wept. Fans also unfurled a banner that read: "Behind the general, an army remains." After a minute of silence, fans tossed red and white roses onto the court, and then chanted the name of the celebrated coach.
His name, alongside the club's emblem, was displayed on the scoreboard above the court.
A minute of silence was observed in Belgrade Arena in Vujošević's honor, a tribute that will precede all EuroLeague games this round, as per the league's decision.
Additionally, a book of condolences was open all day on the plateau in front of the north entrance to Belgrade Arena, where Partizan fans could pay their respects to the legendary coach. A book of condolences was also available in front of the stadium in Humska.
Recall that Duško Vujošević battled various health issues for years; in June of last year, he underwent a kidney transplant operation in Belarus, which he stated "went well." However, on March 15th of this year, he was hospitalized due to pneumonia, heart, and kidney problems.
He passed away on April 8th, at the age of 68.
How the EuroLeague bid farewell to Vujošević
Beyond Partizan, Vujošević coached numerous clubs across Europe, including OKK Belgrade, Crvena Zvezda, Radnički Belgrade, and Mladost Zemun in Serbia; Granada in Spain; Brescia, Olimpia Pistoia, and Pesaro in Italy; CSKA Moscow in Russia; Limoges in France; and Cluj in Romania. Vujošević also left his mark on the international stage, serving as head coach for three national teams: the Yugoslav junior national team, as well as the senior teams of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among his early successes was a gold medal with the Yugoslav junior national team at the 1988 European Championship. In recognition of his impact on the game, he was voted by his peers as the EuroLeague 'Alexander Gomelsky' Coach of the Year for the 2008/09 season. A minute of silence will be observed before all Round 37 matches in honor of his life and exceptional legacy. EuroLeague
EuroLeague Standings
VIDEO: This is how Duško Vujošević spoke about Bogdanović, Zvezda, and Yugoslavia
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