The new season of Serie A kicked off, and in the early morning of Beijing time on the 26th, Bologna was forced to draw 1-1 by Verona. Beyond the game itself, however, was the appearance of Mikhailovic, who was suffering from leukemia, in the Bologna coaching bench.
"Roma Sport" said: "This is a real man, he surprised everyone, after 6 weeks in the hospital, he kept his promise to the team and returned to the sidelines.
In mid-July, Mikhailovich held a press conference to announce his condition. Mihailovich said: "I want to face this disease myself, I want to personally attend the press conference and tell people what happened, I don't want people to have any speculation." ”
According to the original plan, the Bologna players began pre-season training intensively on July 10, and Mihajlovic returned a day early and was examined by the team doctor.
In the first few days after his diagnosis, Mikhailovich was emotionally unstable. "I kept crying, but not out of fear, but out of thought of my family. I didn't dare tell my wife and lie to her that I just had a cold and fever, but she didn't believe it because she knew that if it was just a cold and fever, I wouldn't be missing the preseason. In these few days, he did not answer the phone and did not reply to text messages, "I received about five or six hundred text messages and phone calls, thank you for the concern of my friends at the same time, I also have to apologize to them, I did not reply in time, because in those days I have to think about life and dispel negative emotions." ”
A few days later, Mikhailovich made up his mind, "I'll look straight into the sick eye, just as I've always done." ”
He also shared this with his players: "I told them that in this game I will continue to attack violently, because if it is just passive defense, then I will definitely lose. Leukemia is very aggressive, but it is by no means invincible, and I am convinced that I can win. ”
At that press conference, Bologna director Sabatini said that as long as Miha's contract is still there, he will always be The head coach of Bologna, "He will always be with us, nothing will change, we all know he is a tough guy!" ”
After 40 days of chemotherapy, Miha, who describes himself as "tall and strong", has become very emaciated. When Mihajlovic walked to the sidelines, almost all the fans stood up and applauded the tough guy in the 40,000-seat stadium.
Mikhailovic still had gauze from his shoulder blades, and when he entered the stadium, he took off his mask and put it on again more than ten minutes before the end of the game, left the stadium and went to the hospital for treatment.
Serb Mikhailovic played for Red Star Belgrade, Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan as a player, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Serie A and Coppa Italia. Mihajlovic is known for his superb free-kick footwork, and on 13 December 1998 he scored a direct free-kick hat-trick.
After retiring from retirement in 2006, Mikhailovic worked as an assistant coach for manager Mancini at Inter Milan, started his coaching career at Bologna in 2008, and later coached Catania, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, ac Milan, Turin and other teams, as well as the Serbian national team. In January 2018, Miha was at the helm of Bologna again.
"Whether it's in football or in life, I play to win and I'm going to beat leukemia." Miha said.