Široki road to glory

By Fuad Krvavac

As first-time entrants to the UEFA Champions League, Bosnia-Herzegovina's NK Široki Brijeg have more to be wary of than most as they look forward to the visit of Azerbaijani champions PFC Neftchi in their first qualifying round tie tonight.

Packed stadium
However, if you are looking for romance in the Champions League, there is no better place to look tonight than the Pecara stadium. The venue is a complete sell-out as supporters hope to cheer their team to victory and set them on course for a second qualifying round tie against PFC CSKA Moskva.

Team spirit
Out to the west of the city of Mostar, the town of Široki Brijeg is well off the beaten track in footballing terms, but despite lacking star names, team spirit and dedication saw the local team outpace NK Željeznicar, FK Sarajevo and FK Leotar to win the national title for the first time last season.

Single-minded vision
"The success is a result of good organisation and team work," said proud club president Zlatan Jelic at the end of last season. "We knew what we wanted from the very beginning of the season," added coach Ivo Ištuk. "We did not have any changes in mood or performance."

Azeri advantage
Such cool-headedness could come in handy when it comes to facing Neftchi. While the draw may have cast Široki Brijeg as the seeded side, Ištuk is well aware that the Azeris' experience in European and international competition will give them an edge, although he really does not know what to expect.

'Slight favourites'
"We do not have much information about our opponents, but we know that Azeri football is almost at the same level as in Bosnia," said Ištuk. "Neftchi are, in our view, slight favourites because they have an experienced team. Still, I am hoping we can win and if we do not concede a goal, I will be very satisfied."

Squad changes
Certainly, Široki Brijeg will have to hit the ground running after making wholesale changes in the closed season. Brazilian Ricardo Santo Lago Bayano, Sladjan Maric and Stanko Galic have moved to NK Zrinjski while Alen Bajkuša has signed for a club in Korea. In their place Ivan Lajtman has arrived from Croatian side NK Cibalia and Dalibor Mandaric from rivals NK Brotnjo.

Coaching prowess
However if anyone can stitch the team together, it is Ištuk. A title winner with Brotnjo in 1999/00, he is regarded as the finest coach in Bosnia-Herzegovina. And he has been doing his best to prepare his men for what may be the biggest game of their careers.

National team
"Against Neftchi we will play as if we were playing against the national team of Azerbaijan, because more than half of the club's players are also in the national team," said Široki playmaker Dalibor Šilic. "We have to attack, but stay alert in defence because they will not miss a chance to counterattack.

Confident approach
However, while the 25-year-old was necessarily wary, he did not lack confidence in his side's prospects either. "We will play two matches and the match will be decided in Baku and I am convinced that it will be Široki Brijeg who will travel to Moscow to meet CSKA in the second round."

Free to dream
A confident conviction or a naïve fancy? Only 180 minutes of football will tell. But as the world's biggest club tournament starts in earnest, even the smallest clubs have the chance to dream of glory.