Legendary footballer and former AC Milan manager Sinisa Mihajlovic has sadly passed away at the age of 53 after a long battle with Leukemia.
Mihajlovic succumbed to his illness after a three-year battle, despite still being in the dugout at Italian club Bologna three months ago.
Mihajlovic was diagnosed with the disease in 2019 and underwent three rounds of chemotherapy as well as a bone marrow transplant to combat it.
He suffered a relapse and was meant to go through further treatment which he revealed in March. In a press conference he had said (via Mirror):
“My recovery after the transplant [of bone marrow in 2019] was great, but unfortunately, these diseases are devious.
“From the latest analysis some alarm bells have emerged and there could be a risk of a reappearance of the disease. To prevent this from happening, I was advised to undertake a therapeutic path.
“This time I will not put in a slide tackle like I did two and a half years ago on an escaping opponent. I’ll get a head start.”
Mihajlovic will be remembered as a legendary figure in Italian football, having played for Roma, Lazio, Sampdoria, and Inter Milan, winning two Serie A titles and four Coppa Italias along the way. In Italy, he also added the UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup to his collection. (via TransferMarkt)
La S.S. Lazio piange la scomparsa di Sinisa Mihajlovic
?? https://t.co/29ZOfNHotx pic.twitter.com/8TSFwASCyG
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) December 16, 2022
No player in Serie A history has scored more direct free-kicks than Siniša Mihajlovi?.
28 of his 38 goals in Italy's top-flight were scored that way, winning two league titles.
A legend of the game. ? pic.twitter.com/F8VvHevb9S
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 16, 2022
I campioni della Legends Cup a Doha rendono omaggio a Sinisa Mihajlovic con un minuto di silenzio pic.twitter.com/fYkMbVxkMk
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) December 16, 2022