Marmite time (UTC+2), Bosnia and Herzegovina will face the United States in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup. Before the match, former Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder Pjanic was interviewed by La Gazzetta dello Sport, where he spoke about his expectations for the fixture.

You're 36 years old, and Dzeko is 40 and still playing. Do you regret retiring?

"I made a clear choice when I retired, and I don't regret it. Now I'm one of the fans, and I'm almost as passionate as they are."

Did you expect Bosnia and Herzegovina to be this good?

"Honestly, after so many changes, none of us expected it. Dzeko is 40, but he's still here; he's a key bridge between generations, teaching everyone how to behave, but there are many young players on the team, and they usually need time to gel."

"However, everything is moving in the right direction. That's thanks to coach Barbarez: he doesn't create spectacular football, but he's rebuilt the team's sense of belonging and reignited the love for this jersey and the bond between players."

"Everyone fights for each other. We don't win with beautiful football, but we're well organized, hard to beat, and we give our all in every match—that's how we got here."

Now facing the home team USA, how big is the advantage of playing at home?

"They have a good team, play attacking football, are well coached, and have an excellent center forward like Balogun. However, Bosnia and Herzegovina have high spirits and morale."

"The US team must be careful: this Bosnia and Herzegovina team gives you adrenaline, and they feel underestimated, which is a bit like the situation before playing Italy. This atmosphere could be dangerous for the US team."

An ABC reporter said he knew nothing about Bosnia and Herzegovina beforehand; will this have a similar impact to the video of Dimarco, Pio, and Vicario celebrating before the World Cup playoff qualifier?

"Yes, more or less. It will also motivate you to work harder, because everyone in our country is talking about it: players, media, fans. This is a do-or-die match, and as we've seen in the playoffs, upsets always happen."

Related link: [American reporter insults Bosnia and Herzegovina on air, then apologizes publicly]

Does this match also have symbolic meaning for the Bosnian community that fled to the United States after the war?

"Of course, there will be many Bosnians living here. In fact, we're everywhere—in every city, every stadium. We've never seen anything like this: you can really feel it on the field, the adrenaline pumping."

"But we have to play smart and avoid silly mistakes. If we can maintain balance between attack and defense, then anything is possible, and maybe the turning point will come from set pieces."

You are a mentor and role model to Alajbegovic. He has developed rapidly. Do you think he's ready for bigger challenges?

"He's very talented and has a great mentality. At 18, he's fearless, bold in pushing forward, and destined for a brilliant career. Now we need to find the right project for him, because many Italian teams want him."

"And he's fully capable of succeeding in Serie A. We'll wait and see what happens in the summer, but his breakthrough is coming soon. But first, let's work together to succeed in Santa Clara."

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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