Number 13 is lucky for Željo: Opening of Grbavica stadium and first appearance in the Champions League

The number thirteen is considered unlucky by many in the world, but when it comes to FK Željezničar, the number 13 is associated with the biggest events in the rich history of the biggest club in BiH, writes the Patria agency.

September 13 holds a special place in the history of the 'blues'. On that date, the Grbavica stadium was opened, and on the same date, Željo played its first match in the European Champions League.

The stadium was built in 1953. Among Željezničar fans, the stadium is also known as "Dolina Ćupova" (Valley of the Cups). Construction began in 1949 as part of a work action initiated by members of the Workers' Sports Association Željezničar, and was completed on September 13, 1953. Grbavica at that time had only one proper stand, the west stand, which was moved from the "6. April" stadium in Marijin Dvor.

At that time, a stadium with an athletics track was built, which was removed during the reconstruction from 1968 to 1976.

Within Grbavica, there are also two training pitches where the first team of Željezničar and the club's youth categories hold their training sessions. The west stand houses the premises of the FK Željezničar football club.

Željezničar played its first match at Grbavica on September 13, 1953, in the then Second League West of Yugoslavia against Šibenik and won with a score of 4:1.

During the last war, the stadium was set on fire and almost completely destroyed, but it was renovated and today has a modern appearance. The BiH national team will play a World Cup qualifier against Belgium at the Grbavica stadium on October 7.

Nineteen years later, Željezničar also played its first match in the Champions League, then the European Cup of Champions. The 'blues' played that European match at Koševo.

Željezničar played in England, against Derby County. "Željo" lost both matches against Derby County, 2:0 away, while at Koševo, where the return leg was played, the score was 1:2. The English champions were superior to the Sarajevo 'blues'.

It should be mentioned that the team from Grbavica recorded its first appearances in the European club elite after winning the Yugoslav championship title in 1972.

The championship generation from 1972 consisted of: Slobodan Janjuš, Dragan Kojović, Velija Bećirspahić, Blagoje Bratić, Josip Katalinski, Enver Hadžiabdić, Branislav Jelušić, Božo Janković, Josip Bukal, Edin Sprečo, Avdija Deraković, Slobodan Kojović, Fahrija Hrvat, Džemaludin Šerbo, Nusret Kadrić, Hajrudin Saračević, Miloš Radović, and Željko Rodić.