The 25 years of Bari
Datum 29. maj 1991. godine vam verovatno neće previše značiti, osim ako niste ljubitelj fudbala, posebno na Balkanu. Na današnji dan pre 25 godina Crvena zvezda je dosegla trofej o kojem svi evropski klubovi sanjaju – Ligu šampiona. Tadašnji šampionski Kup, promenio je ime ali ne i značaj karakterističnog ušatog trofeja, za kojim se čezne.
May 29th of 1991. won’t mean much to you, unless you are a sports fanatic, particularly from the Balkans. On this day, 25 years ago Belgrade’s Crvena zvezda (Red Star) has reached the trophy every European team dreams of, the Champions League. The Cup, as it was referred to back then, has changed its name, but not its importance.
Generacija igrača Ljupka Petrovića, u sastavu: Stojanović, Mihajlović, Prosinečki, Belodedić, Savićević, Pančev, Binić, Najdoski, Jugović, Marović, Šabanadžović, dosegla je zvezde. Imena koja smesta izazivaju divljenje i strahopoštovanje.
Nakon penala, rezultat je bio 5:3 u korist Zvezde, za euforiju navijača, pred prepunim stadionom Sveti Nikola u italijanskom Bariju, večnom simbolu jednog dosanjanog sna. Igrački, balkanska tiki-taka će ostati upamćena kao za sada neponovljiv fenomen.
Ples Petrovićevih pulena na travnatim terenima širom sveta, izaziva divljenje čak i sada, u vremenima kada su od njihovih majstorija ostali samo mutni snimci na Jutjubu. Ni bedna rezolucija od 144 ne može da sakrije veštinu koju su imali ovi igrači s kraja osamdesetih i početka devedesetih godina prošlog veka.
Iako politički turbulentna, 1991. godina je fudbalski najverovatnije neponovljiva. Crveno-beli su osvojili triplet, stavljajući ime jednog domaćeg kluba u isti koš sa Junajtedom, Interom, Realom i Barselonom.
Nažalost, inostrani navijači koji su juče pomno pratili milansko finale, u kojem je Real osvojio jedanaestu titulu Šampiona Evrope, ili navijači Barselone koji danas obeležavaju pet godina od fenomenalnog finala između Blaugrane i Junajteda, verovatno ne bi znali da je jednom davno i Zvezda stajala na centralnom delu terena, posuta konfetama. U rukama, najvredniji klupski trofej.
Ova činjenica samo govori o brzom prolasku vremena i lakoj izmeni sportske relevancije. Lopta je ipak, po onom starom novinarskom klišeu, okrugla.
Iako je nama znatno bliža, istorija Barija je prohujala s vihorom. Može se samo nagađati o tome gde bi danas bila Zvezda da nije došlo do ratnih previranja i raspada Zlatne generacije. Da li bi se u Ljutice Bogdana čuvao još jedan ušati trofej, ili možda još pet?
Da li bi značajni igrači mogli da u klubu ostanu duže od jedne sezone, prateći primere poput Bufona, Totija, Ćavija i Pujola koji su u svom klubu igrački i ljudski odrasli i sazreli, a onda otišli u zasluženu penziju?
Dok se o najvećim uspesima govori u prošlom vremenu, ljubitelji fudbala priželjkuju da se ponovi ona noć u Bariju.
After the penalty shoot-out, the score was 5:3 to the Red and Whites, causing a euphoria in all of the Former Yugoslavia, in front of a packed San Nicolo di Bari Stadium. The place which will forever represent a dream that did in fact come true.
The generation lead by coach Ljupko Petrović and players such as Stojanović, Mihajlović, Prosinečki, Belodedić, Savićević, Pančev, Binić and many others whose names even now cause an immediate admiration, has reached the stars.
The Balkanic tiki-taka, the dance of Petrović’s players on courts all around the world causes admiration even now, in times when their wonder work is conserved only on blurry videos from Youtube. But not even the low 144 resolution can hide the skill of these players.
Despite being politically turbulent, the year of 1991. is most likely unrepeatable in the footballing aspect. The Red and Whites have won themselves a treble, putting the name of their club on the same pages as United, Inter, Real and Barcelona.
Sadly, these successes have slowly been forgotten around the world. As millions were following last night’s final in which Real had won their eleventh, or are marking the five year anniversary of the epic final between Barcelona and Manchester United, the memory of another team reaching that dream has faded. Most wouldn’t know that once upon a time, Zvezda was in fact also standing centre stage, covered in confetti, with the Champions trophy in their hands.
Despite this part of sports history being much closer to us from the Balkans, wondering what would have happened, had the war not torn the area, is only a guessing game.
Maybe the Golden generation would have won another one. Maybe another five, for the trophy case in Ljutice Bogdana St.
Could this region have a chance to see prominent players remain at the club for years, creating a name for themselves, following the example of Buffon, Totti, Xavi and Puyol.
As they are left to talk of the glory days, many of which they were too young to see or remember, fans are left wishing for that mythical night in Bari to repeat itself.