Former AC Milan and Bologna head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has died at the age of 53.
The Serb’s family announced that he passed away in a Rome hospital on Friday, following a long fight with leukaemia.
The former footballer first announced his battle with an acute form of leukaemia in 2019 in his second spell as Bologna coach.
After undergoing a bone marrow transplant, he announced that he had successfully treated the illness. However, in March 2022, the sickness resurfaced.
Mihajlovic played as a defender for Red Star Belgrade in Serbia, winning the European Cup in 1991.
Between 1991 and 2003, he earned 63 international caps for the former Yugoslavia, including appearances at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France and Euro 2000.
The 53-year-old gained popularity in the Italian top-flight league with 353 appearances for four clubs: Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan, winning the Serie A with the last two clubs.
Generally revered for his ability as a free-kick specialist, he holds the all-time Serie record for most goals from free-kicks with 28 goals.
Mihajlovic previously managed the Serbian national football team and was recently sacked by Bologna in September due to a series of bad results.
Earlier on Saturday, the Italian Serie A released a statement to pay tribute to a legend of the league.
“Serie A is deeply pained by the death of Sinisa Mihajlovic,” the post read.
“His pure class as a footballer and coach, his strength and his humanity are an example that leaves an indelible void in Italian and world soccer.”
