In the autumn of 2003, Partizan accomplished a historic feat as the first club from the then-nation of Serbia and Montenegro to compete in the Champions League.

Leading the team was a legend in football, the great Lothar Matthäus, alongside Andrija Delibašić, the standout player who netted all the goals for the “black and whites” in that prestigious tournament.

Sadly, as of March 19, Andrija is no longer with us, having passed away at the age of 44, a loss that resonated deeply with the 1990 World Champion with Germany.

“It’s a shock… a friend shared the news. I was heartbroken over Delibašić,” Matthäus stated in an interview with TV Arena Sport.

He elaborated on the substantial role the Montenegrin forward played during their Champions League campaign.

“He was a striker and crucial for me after Danko Lazović departed from the club. Andrija filled that position and I vividly remember him scoring goals in the Champions League,” the German football icon reminisced.

Partizan was drawn into a competitive group with Porto, who went on to win the European title that season, as well as Real Madrid and Olympique Marseille. Delibašić found the back of the net against the Portuguese side (twice) and the French giants.

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