Sergej Barbarez left an indelible mark in Germany during his playing days. He played for Hannover, Union Berlin, Hansa Rostock, Borussia Dortmund, HSV, and Bayer Leverkusen, amassing an impressive 330 Bundesliga appearances with 96 goals.
"Sergej had very, very strong opinions. He was an exceptionally strong personality," recalls Brečko of their shared time in Hamburg, where Barbarez was an absolute icon, but also a man who did not hesitate to raise his voice when necessary.
"I know that at the time he had a minor conflict with the then HSV president. There were quite a few disagreements, and because of that, he eventually left Hamburg and went to Leverkusen, even though he was incredibly important for the team—a true club icon and the Bundesliga's top scorer in one season," Brečko testifies firsthand for the portal 24ur.com.
His move to Bayer Leverkusen was a huge surprise to many at the time. However, Brečko, who now works as the head coach of the Slovenia U-19 national team, emphasizes that Barbarez is a man who never compromised on his personal principles.
"He had an incredibly strong character. A special type of person. Even back then, everyone in the locker room knew he was a born leader."
The character that distinguished him on the field has evidently become his strongest weapon on the coaching bench, where he is currently writing one of the most beautiful football stories.
When Barbarez took over the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, the public was cautious. The team was in deep transition, and the results were far from ideal. In his first eight games at the helm of the Dragons, he failed to secure a victory, and after a heavy defeat to Germany (7-0), many critics at home had already written him off.
And then an incredible turnaround happened. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished second in the World Cup qualifiers and then caused an absolute sensation in the playoffs by defeating Wales and Italy to secure a spot at the World Cup. Brečko admits that this outcome at least partially surprised him:
"Honestly, when we look at where the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team was a year or two ago, this success surprised me. But it must be acknowledged that they have played really excellently in recent months."
What was the turning point? The Slovenian expert believes the key lies in the team spirit that Barbarez managed to build.
"They formed a team that functions fantastically, not only on the green pitch but also off it," says Brečko, emphasizing that this chemistry is the difference between an average team and a winning one.
In addition to great energy, there is also undeniable quality:
"They have assembled an excellent team and now have many talented young players who play for serious European clubs."
For years, Barbarez has openly expressed his desire to coach his homeland. However, he probably never dreamed that the crowning achievement of his career would come so quickly.
"I think even he was positively shocked by the fact that they qualified for the World Cup so quickly. Achieving such a result already in the first cycle and his first real coaching job is truly phenomenal," concluded Brečko.