The Bosnia and Herzegovina U-21 national football team will play two qualifying matches for the 2027 European Championship at the end of March against Slovenia and Israel.
The first match is scheduled for March 27 at 3 p.m. at the “Grbavica” stadium in Sarajevo against Slovenia, while on March 31, the BiH national team will play a guest match against Israel at the BSC stadium in Budaörs (Hungary) starting at 5 p.m., the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced.
For this representative action, coach Branislav Krunić chose the following players:
Mladen Jurkas (FK Borac), Tarik Karić (FK Velež), Ivano Doko (HNK Brotnjo), Filip Taraba (NK Istra 1961, Croatia), Arjan Malić (Sturm Graz, Austria), Amar Ibrišimović (Schalke 04, Germany), Anes Čardaklija (FC GAIS, Sweden), Hamza Redžić (FK Sarajevo), Nermin Mujkić (FK Sarajevo), Eman Košpo (Fiorentina, Italy), Senad Mustafić (Sturm Graz, Austria), Nedim Keranović (FK Rudar Prijedor), Anes Krdžalić (FK Sarajevo), Emin Kujović (Wolfsberger AC, Austria), Matej Šakota (HŠK Zrinjski), Aldin Mešić (FK Velež), Amar Milak (FK Velež), Muhamed Buljubasic (Çaykur Rizespor, Turkey), Ognjen Šešlak (FK Sloga Doboj), Marko Matić (NK Široki Brijeg), Benjamin Džanović (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Albin Omić (FK Sloga Doboj), Matej Deket (FK Borac) and Hamza Jaganjac (FK Željezničar).
Krunić said that the list includes players who have carried the burden of previous qualifications, along with reinforcements from the “A” team, which he considers “the correct philosophy and an indicator of good communication and cooperation between the “A” team and the U-21 selection”.
– Until now, the practice has been for players to progress to the “A” team, and now we have the opposite process. Also, the list includes new, young names from the U-17 and U-19 selections, which should become an established practice – that players who go through our youth selections have a special adaptation treatment, which will follow their development all the way to the “A” team – explained the coach.
Krunić noted that the upcoming matches are very important because they can decide whether BiH remains in the race for a place in the European Championship.
– We have a gathering in Zenica ahead of us, where we will choose the best way and style of play to confront the upcoming opponents. Of course, all the focus is first on the match with Slovenia, and only after that on the match with Israel. These are teams that we can play with, because we are of similar quality, and with a good approach and atmosphere that has been our driving force so far, we can hope to stay in the race for the European Championship – he said.
The BiH national team will gather on March 22 at the NS BiH Training Center in Zenica, where they will prepare for the upcoming qualifying matches.
