"If they are roses, they will blossom!" Partizan and Belgrade bid farewell to the General! /VIDEO/
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- You can follow the Partizan vs. Žalgiris match 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 officials couldn't hold back tears. They were greeted in the arena, in the stands, by large cardboard cutouts of the legendary coach. The Belgrade Arena has never been more emotional, and Duško Vujošević managed to unite all black-and-white fans for a few minutes.
After a song, before the match began, hundreds of red and white roses rained down onto the Belgrade Arena court, covering it and echoing the famous Serbian coach's favorite saying: "If they are roses, they will blossom."
Before the game, a film showcasing moments from his rich career at Partizan was shown. Novica Veličković, Milenko Tepić, Saša Pavlović, Miloš Vujanić, and Joffrey Lauvergne were seated near the black-and-white bench.
Players took to the court in warm-up shirts featuring his likeness. When the film started, the entire Arena fell silent, and many in the stands wept. Fans also unfurled a banner that read: "Behind the general, an army remains." Following a minute of silence, fans threw red and white roses onto the court, and then chanted the name of the celebrated coach.
His name, alongside the club crest, was displayed on the scoreboard above the court.
A minute of silence was observed in the Belgrade Arena in Vujošević's honor, a tribute that will precede all EuroLeague games this round, by decision of the league.
Additionally, a book of condolences was open throughout the day on the plateau in front of the north entrance of the 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.
It's worth remembering that Duško Vujošević battled various health issues for years; in June of last year, he underwent a kidney transplant in Belarus, which he described as "successful." 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 selection, 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 held before all 37th-round 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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