Furious Edin Dzeko set to boycott Bosnia’s clash against Russia while Miralem Pjanic is left ‘speechless’
BOSNIA have infuriated their most high-profile players by organising a friendly match against Russia.
Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic have both spoken out against the staggering fixture.
Russia are currently suspended from Fifa and Uefa competitions indefinitely following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
But despite this, Bosnian football chiefs have agreed to play a friendly against them in St Petersburg on November 19.
The match is set to take place on the eve of the World Cup, with neither team having qualified.
But star striker Dzeko won’t be there.
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The Inter Milan star told : “I am against the playing of this match! I am always and only for peace.
“The association knows my opinion!
“Unfortunately, I am not the one who makes the decisions with whom Bosnia and Herzegovina will play, but I have my position which is clear and which does not include playing this match, while innocent people are suffering.
“I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in these difficult times for them.”
Pjanic, who left Barcelona for Sharjah FC earlier this week, added: “The decision is not good. I am speechless.
“In the national Football Association, they know what I think.”
Russia haven’t played since a 1-0 defeat to Croatia on November 14 last year.
Prior to Russia’s Fifa suspension, Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic all refused to play qualifiers against them.
Mayor of Sarajevo Benjamina Karic, 31, was furious at the decision – even threatening to end the relationship between Government and the Bosnian FA.
She tweeted: “Sarajevo as the city which has been under the longest siege from aggressors and me as a mayor strongly condemn the decision by the national Football Association to play a friendly match with Russia.
“Unless the decision is reversed, we will cease cooperation with the Football Association, which so far has been fruitful.”