Stadion Grbavica

Grbavica Stadium (Serbo-Croatian: Stadion Grbavica / Стадион Грбавица) is located in Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This football stadium has terraces close to the pitch and it is the home stadium of FK Željezničar Sarajevo and one of two stadiums of the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The stadium has a capacity to hold 13,146 seated spectators, with more room for standing spectators under South stands (capacity up to 16,000). Grbavica Stadium is also known as Dolina ćupova (en. Valley of Jars).[1]

Grbavica Stadium
Dolina ćupova
Grbavica Stadium - UEFA
LocationUlica Zvornička 21, Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates43°50′48″N 18°23′14″E
OwnerFK Željezničar Sarajevo
OperatorFK Željezničar Sarajevo
Capacity13,146 (League Matches)
Field size105 x 68 m (114.8 x 74.3 yd)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Built1949–53
Opened13 September 1953
Renovated25 April 1976, 18 July 2018, 8 March 2020
Expanded2017
Construction cost> €2 million
Tenants
FK Željezničar Sarajevo (1953–1968, 1976–present)
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team (2017–present, selected matches)

Construction

The building of the football ground in Grbavica started during the late 1940s by SD Željezničar. Although there were several football pitches with bleachers and stands in Sarajevo at the time (including the freshly built Koševo Stadium), it was decided by communist authorities that Željezničar should have its own playing facility. Many of the club's supporters, friends, and members, including a number Yugoslav People's Army personnel helped in the construction of the stadium. Unlike Koševo that was a large-scale project with generous state support through funds and manpower, Grbavica had a lot fewer people working on it and as a result took much longer to complete. A new pitch with a drainage system was built and the stands were built with concrete. The south and east side were made out of concrete, while wooden stands that were taken from the Marijin Dvor ground that was torn down, got placed on the west side. At first, Grbavica was a multi-use stadium. Competitions in cycling and athletics were organized, as well as football matches. Eventually its use became football only. It was officially opened on September 13, 1953 with the Yugoslav Second League western division match between Željezničar and Šibenik. Željezničar won 4–1.

1970s renovations
Northern stand built in 1986

In 1968 renovations on the stadium began and on April 25, 1976 Grbavica was re-opened. About 50,000 cubic meters of materials were used, and the floodlights were installed. Two training pitches as well as new dressing rooms, showers and other important facilities were added. The Đurasović family were the first donors

1986: Northern stand added

In 1986 a proper northern stand was finally built. There were plans for the whole stadium to be remodeled and encircled to look like the newly built north stand, but they got shelved for the time being. As a result of the renovations, in October 1987, Yugoslav national football team (coached at the time by Željo legend Ivica Osim) played its first ever match at the stadium. In a Euro 88 qualification clash versus Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia won 3–0.

Stadium in 2006

The stadium suffered heavy structural damage during the Bosnian War that broke out in 1992. The stadium was located between the first front lines and endured heavy fighting. Bosnian Serbs' forces burned the West stand wooden terraces. It was not until 1996 that a football match would be played here again. Symbolically, the first match after the war was the local derby. The capacity of North stands holds 5377 seats.[2]

It was partly remodelled in following years. In 2004, 8898 seats were installed on the north and south stand and some small work was done to the terraces. The last major job done on the stadium was in 2008–09 when the floodlights were repaired. On 22 April 2009, after about 18 years, a game under floodlights was again played on Grbavica. There are new proposals for a major overhaul of the current facilities. The new project proposes the creation of new roofed terraces on each side, and the increase of the capacity to 24,000 seated places. Other facilities such as a training ground near the stadium are proposed. These new proposals are still waiting financial backing.

On Monday, 13 February 2012, a section of the roof above the west stand collapsed after 10 days of heavy snowfall. The main reason for the collapsing of the roof was the bad maintenance of the whole terrace and roof were the snow was not removed since the first snowfall, but also the war damages on the buildings.

As at 2016, West stands hold 690 seats since May 2016, while south stands capacity is 3068 seats. A modern LED Display has been installed in the south stand. [3]

2017: Eastern stand added
Eastern stand built in 2017

East stand was rebuilt (an all seated stand replacing the entire East standing section) with works finishing in early April 2017. The capacity of east stands is 4650 seats.[4][5][6] The East stand was funded entirely by club supporters and local businesses.[7][8] United States midfielder Mix Diskerud donated funds to the project by buying 50 seats for the North stand as well as two ten year passes for East stand.[9][10] Former club managers and players the likes of Amar Osim, Edin Džeko, Ibrahim Šehić and Semir Štilić among others, also donated.[11] Regional clubs also supported the project, with donations coming from Dinamo Zagreb.[12][13]

On 1 April 2017, Željezničar played host to Sloboda Tuzla during the Championship round of the 2016–17 Premier League season and on the day the newly built Eastern Stand opened to public.

2018: Pitch replacement

In May 2018, a new pitch with a drainage system was completed. The new pitch was replaced in July 2018.[14]

Stadium Grbavica after turf grass replacement, August 2018

2020: Eastern stand roof built

In December 2019, the construction of the new roof on the eastern stand of the stadium begun. In March 2020, the construction was finished, with Željezničar playing its first game with the new roof against Tuzla City on 8 March 2020.[15]

Location

The stadium is located in the Grbavica neighbourhood, under the Šanac Hill which was traversed by railway tracks. When the train was passing over the stadium, it would sound its horn to salute the crowd. Nowadays, the old railway is no longer in use. There are however trolleybuses that pass by the stadium and visitors are able to come to the stadium using other modes of public transportation as well. The tramway line is also very close near the Socijalno station, which is located 600 meters away from the stadium.

Notable matches

By far the most notable match played at the stadium was the 1984–85 UEFA Cup semifinal return leg on Wednesday, 24 April 1985 between Željezničar and Hungarian visitors Videoton FC from Székesfehérvár. Videoton brought a 1–3 advantage from the first leg, however, the home side fought valiantly in front of the raucous home crowd of 27,000 fans[16] and was 2–0 ahead on goals by Edin Bahtić in the 5th and Edin Ćurić in the 62nd minute. Just a few minutes from the end, Željo still had a result that would see it take on mighty Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup final. However, disaster struck in the 87th minute when Videoton right back József Csuhay was left unmarked and scored a goal for 2–1 that took his team to the final and saw Željezničar's hopes dashed in the cruelest of fashions.

Anniversaries
Home club supporters at Grbavica
  • As part of the 50th birthday celebration on 16 June 1971, Željezničar played against Inter Milan. The final result was 3-3 (however location was Koševo Stadium).
  • As part of the 55th birthday celebration of Željezničar (and 90th birthday celebration of Arsenal) played at Stadion Grbavica on August 15, 1976, Željezničar pulled out a friendly 1-1 draw with Arsenal.[17][18]
  • As part of the 60th birthday celebration of Željezničar, in 1981, Yugoslavia national team played against Željezničar at Grbavica Stadium.
  • As part of the 80th birthday celebration of Željezničar, on October 2, 2001, the team welcomed Bundesliga side Wolfsburg with goals scored by Dželaludin Muharemović and Nermin Fatić Željo won 2-0.[19]
  • As part of the 90th birthday celebration of Željezničar, on November 8, 2011 the team welcomed a full strength Bosnia and Herzegovina national team and played a friendly that finished 1-2 in favor of the visitors. The scorer for the national team was Vedad Ibišević with two goals, while the lone scorer for Željezničar was Mirsad Bešlija.[20]

International matches

Senior teams only.

DateResultCompetition
14 October 1987 Yugoslavia3–0 Northern IrelandUEFA Euro 1988 Q
15 August 2001 Bosnia and Herzegovina2–0 MaltaFriendly
27 March 2002 Bosnia and Herzegovina4–4 MacedoniaFriendly
10 August 2010 Bosnia and Herzegovina1–1 QatarFriendly
7 October 2017 Bosnia and Herzegovina3–4 Belgium2018 FIFA World Cup Q
15 October 2018 Bosnia and Herzegovina2–0  Northern Ireland2018–19 UEFA Nations League B
23 March 2019 Bosnia and Herzegovina2–1  ArmeniaUEFA Euro 2020 Q
8 October 2020 Bosnia and Herzegovina1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–4 p)  Northern IrelandUEFA Euro 2020 Q playoffs

Concerts

Due to its smaller size (to Stadium Koševo), the stadium has seen far less music concerts held at its location. Some concerts at Stadium Grbavica were:

See also

References
  1. "Kako je stadion Grbavica dobio nadimak "Dolina ćupova"". Radio Sarajevo.
  2. www.scsport.ba, Sport Centar -. "SPORT CENTAR - Smiješ znati sve o sportu".
  3. "Započeo projekat renoviranja Stadiona Grbavica".
  4. "FOTO: Bageri na Stadionu Grbavica".
  5. "FOTO \\ Željo pravi novu Grabavicu za europske i utakmice reprezentacije".
  6. "Započeli radovi na renoviranju stadiona FK Željezničar".
  7. "FOTO- Niklo plavo čudo usred Sarajeva".
  8. "I Copa90 objavio reportažu o Želji, Manijacima i obnovi Grbavice".
  9. "Reprezentativac SAD-a Mix Diskerud kupio dvije 10-godišnje ulaznice za istočnu tribinu Grbavice".
  10. www.scsport.ba, Sport Centar -. "Američki reprezentativac Mix Diskerud ponovo podržao izgradnju Grbavice – Sport Centar". scsport.ba.
  11. "Evropska Grbavica: Džeko, Šehić, Štilić i Osim donirali sredstva za 120 stolica". Novinska agencija Patria.
  12. "Dinamo Zagreb kupio pet, Zdravko Mamić jednu desetogodišnju ulaznicu za Grbavicu".
  13. "GNK Dinamo Zagreb podržat će izgradnju istočne tribine Stadiona Grbavica".
  14. Okončani radovi na zamjeni terena stadiona Grbavica at klix.ba, 14 July 2018
  15. "Grbavica u novom ruhu dočekala Tuzla City, navijači Plavih traže titulu iz 1946. godine" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  16. Željezničar je prije 60 godina dobio dom, svoju Grbavicu;klix.ba, 13 September 2013
  17. woolwicharsenal.co.uk. "Željezničar and Arsenal: 15 August 1976". woolwicharsenal.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  18. zeljeznicarfk.blogspot.co.uk. "Željezničar - Arsenal 1-1". zeljeznicarfk.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  19. "Plavi vremeplov: Željezničar – Wolfsburg". fkzeljeznicar.ba. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  20. scsport.ba (8 November 2011). "Željo odlično sparingovao Zmajevima". scsport.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  21. http://bhkoncerti.blogspot.ba/2012/09/kelly-family-30-01-1999-bht-sarajevo.html
  22. "Tifa na našoj Grbavici".
  23. "Bombom na Ljubu" [A bomb on Ljubo] (in Serbian). BalkaniYUm. 11 August 2006. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
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