Sergej Barbarez said Bosnia and Herzegovina were largely fit and ready for their UEFA Nations League Matchday 5 visit to Sweden, with only Jovo carrying minor back issues. Speaking in Sweden on the eve of the match, he said he already knew who would replace the suspended Tarik Muharemović in defense, though he would not name the player.
The press conference came as Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared to face Sweden at Strawberry Arena in Solna tomorrow at 20:45, with Esmir Bajraktarević alongside Barbarez at the podium. The timing matters because this is the last public check-in before a match that could shape the rest of the campaign, and Barbarez made clear the squad’s condition is not the issue.
He said the connection between the players and the fans remained special, and that support carries real weight for the group. He also pointed to Sweden’s changes, saying they have nine new players in the squad, before turning to the larger picture: Sweden may look stronger on paper, but that means little if the team is not functioning well. In his view, names do not decide matches on their own.
That is where the match sharpens. Barbarez said he respects and admires Sweden’s football education and called them a national team on the rise, while giving Alexander Isak special mention for the extra quality he brings. Even so, he said Bosnia and Herzegovina are not preparing to hide. “It’s 11 against 11,” he said in effect, stressing that the team has the tactical plans, the confidence and the resources to go toe-to-toe on the pitch.
For Bosnia and Herzegovina, the calculation is simple: a win would be a major step toward securing first. Barbarez framed it as a chance the team has earned, not a bonus, and the uncertainty now sits in one place only — the defensive spot left open by Tarik Muharemović’s suspension, which he said is already settled behind the scenes. The answer will come with the lineup in Solna, and then the match will tell whether Bosnia and Herzegovina can turn a fit squad and a clear plan into a result that matters.
