Sarajevo derby


The Sarajevo derby is a match between rivals from Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital city FK Željezničar Sarajevo and FK Sarajevo, the two biggest and most popular clubs in the country, during which fans usually create a competitive atmosphere with big flags, paper rolls, scarfs and loud chanting. It is not uncommon to see members of the same family on opposite sides, not speaking to each other on the day of the derby, with opposing fans engaging in mutual provocations at the end of the match, eagerly awaiting the next confrontation although, in recent years, this has led to clashes between some younger fans.

History

The history of the Sarajevo derby dates back to 1954, but the rivalry began eight years earlier. At the end of the Second World War the three major clubs in Sarajevo, Đerzelez, SAŠK and Slavija, were disbanded by the new authorities which formed FK Sarajevo in 1946. Since the idea was for this new club to represent the city on a national level, SD Torpedo, as initially FK Sarajevo was called, needed the best players from the city. Numerous notable players were brought to the club, and they received good salaries for that time. On the other side, FK Željezničar Sarajevo is a club which was formed by a group of railway workers much earlier, in 1921. However, until then, during the pre-war period, they were in the shadow of Đerzelez, SAŠK and Slavija and had never managed to qualify to the Yugoslav Championship. Željezničar won the second-tier Bosnian championship title in 1946, as part of the Yugoslav football league system, and that achievement marked the beginning of their climb. After the war, these two clubs became the most prominent and successful clubs in Sarajevo, and since then, the rivalry between the two has been intense.
FK Sarajevo supporters were considered to be upper-class individuals, mainly from Bosniak dominated old and central parts of town. On the other side, supporters of FK Željezničar were usually working-class with liberal image. Those differences were later partly erased. Both clubs have supporters from all classes and from all ethnic groups, even if FK Sarajevo fan base is still very predominately Bosniak. FK Željezničar has the image of a liberal club and they are popular even among other supporters in the region, while FK Sarajevo's support outside Sarajevo comes mostly from the Bosniak dominated areas in the region and diaspora.
Since they played in different levels, first matches between FK Željezničar and FK Sarajevo were friendlies. The first official league match was held in 1954; FK Sarajevo won 6–1. That is still the biggest victory by any team in these matches.
As of November 2019, 120 league matches have been played. Željezničar have won 37 times, Sarajevo have won 34 times, while 49 matches ended in a draw. Goal difference is 138:137 in Željezničar's favour. In all competitions, Željezničar and Sarajevo have played 140 times, Sarajevo have won 41 times, Željezničar have won 45 times and 54 games have ended in a draw.

All competitions

The Sarajevo derby is currently played three times a year in the Premier league, but they may also play against one another in other competitions. There are also friendly matches and games played in various tournaments. Although these games are not included in official statistics.

Head-to-head ranking in Premier League of Bosnia

• Total: FK Sarajevo 14 times higher, FK Željezničar 11 times higher.

Records

Note that only league matches are included in statistics. Cup, other tournaments and friendly matches are not included.

Fans

Probably the best known thing about the Sarajevo derby are the fans. Usually, they are much more exciting to watch than the game itself. Especially in recent times, since the Bosnian championship has at times lacked in quality. Fans create an impressive atmosphere with loud cheering and original choreography. Both sides prepare intensely between the matches, make large flags and special messages that are appropriate for that particular occasion, to be usually directed towards the opposing side.
FK Željezničar's most passionate fans are called Manijaci because their love for the club is on the edge of insanity, so it is said. They are located on the South side of stadium. The older fans ones are known affectionately as the Košpicari.
FK Sarajevo's most passionate fans are called the Horde Zla after the popular Zagor comic book. In home games at Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, they are located on the North stands, while the older fans are known as the Pitari and they are mainly on the East side.
When the derby is played on Grbavica Stadium, Horde zla are on the North-East side of the stadium, The Maniacs are on the East, South and West side, while the Pitari and Košpicari are on the North. When the game is played on Koševo, The Maniacs are on the South and South-West side, Horde zla on the North and the East. Pitari are on the East as well. West stands are mixed with both Pitari and Košpicari sitting there.

Results 1946–1992

League Results 1992–present

StadiumMatchesWins
FK Sarajevo		DrawsWins
FK Željezničar		Goals
FK Sarajevo		Goals
FK Željezničar
Koševo2781452618
Grbavica29713102732
Total matches561527155350

#DateStadiumHomeScoreAwayReportWatch on YouTube-
114 September 1994Bilino Polje, ZenicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
215 November 1995KoševoFK Sarajevo5:0FK Željezničar-
32 May 1996GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
422 September 1996GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
516 April 1997KoševoFK Sarajevo1:0FK Željezničar-
626 October 1997GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:2FK Sarajevo-
73 May 1998KoševoFK Sarajevo1:1FK Željezničar-
85 June 1998KoševoFK Sarajevo0:1FK Željezničar-
98 August 1998KoševoFK Sarajevo3:1FK Željezničar-
1014 March 1999GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:2FK Sarajevo-
1110 October 1999GrbavicaFK Željezničar2:0FK Sarajevo-
126 May 2000KoševoFK Sarajevo4:1FK Željezničar-
1323 September 2000GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:0FK Sarajevo-
1428 April 2001KoševoFK Sarajevo0:3FK Željezničar-
1511 November 2001KoševoFK Sarajevo2:2FK Željezničar-
164 May 2002GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:0FK Sarajevo-
1722 September 2002GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
1813 April 2003KoševoFK Sarajevo1:1FK Željezničar-
195 October 2003KoševoFK Sarajevo1:1FK Željezničar-
2030 April 2004GrbavicaFK Željezničar2:1FK Sarajevo-
2130 October 2004KoševoFK Sarajevo0:1FK Željezničar-
2230 April 2005GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
2315 October 2005KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
245 April 2006GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:1FK Sarajevo-
2530 September 2006GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:1FK Sarajevo-
2621 April 2007KoševoFK Sarajevo2:1FK Željezničar-
276 October 2007GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:0FK Sarajevo-
2819 April 2008KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
298 November 2008KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
309 May 2009GrbavicaFK Željezničar2:0FK Sarajevo-
317 November 2009GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:2FK Sarajevo-
3215 May 2010KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
3324 October 2010GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:0FK Sarajevo-
347 May 2011KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
355 November 2011GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:0FK Sarajevo-
3612 May 2012KoševoFK Sarajevo2:2FK Željezničar-
373 November 2012KoševoFK Sarajevo1:0FK Željezničar-
388 May 2013GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:0FK Sarajevo-
3930 October 2013KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
404 May 2014GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
412 November 2014GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:2FK Sarajevo-
4216 May 2015KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
434 October 2015GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:0FK Sarajevo-
4424 April 2016KoševoFK Sarajevo0:1FK Željezničar-
4523 July 2016GrbavicaFK Željezničar1:1FK Sarajevo-
4616 October 2016KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
4715 April 2017GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:0FK Sarajevo-
4820 May 2017KoševoFK Sarajevo1:0FK Željezničar-
4919 August 2017KoševoFK Sarajevo0:1FK Željezničar-
5027 November 2017GrbavicaFK Željezničar2:1FK Sarajevo-
5115 April 2018KoševoFK Sarajevo0:0FK Željezničar-
5219 May 2018GrbavicaFK Željezničar2:1FK Sarajevo
5315 August 2018GrbavicaFK Željezničar2:2FK Sarajevo
543 November 2018KoševoFK Sarajevo2:1FK Željezničar
556 April 2019GrbavicaFK Željezničar0:3FK Sarajevo
5631 August 2019GrbavicaFK Željezničar5:2FK Sarajevo
5730 November 2019KoševoFK Sarajevo1:3FK Željezničar

Little derby

The third football club from Sarajevo is FK Olimpik; located in the small neighbourhood of Otoka. It did play a pretty long time in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but currently are a part of the First League of FBiH and their support group is very small.
Olimpik's games between its rivals, FK Sarajevo and FK Željezničar in town are known as the little town derby . After Olimpik were relegated from the Premier League in the 2016–17 season, as of November 2019, the little derby hasn't been hosted ever since.