Edin Dzeko to Leave Bosnia Squad Early After International Retirement

Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez says Edin Dzeko will leave the squad early following his international retirement, so the team will face Poland in their Nations League game without their all-time top scorer.

Barbarez told reporters Dzeko is expected to head to Germany today. He said he hopes the striker will show up one more time before leaving, but admitted he does not like goodbyes. 

"I'm not a friend of some goodbyes, both in private life and not like this," he said, as cited by Reprezentacija. "We will see each other many more times in our lives as we have until now."

Apart from Dzeko, the squad is in good shape. All 25 other players are in camp and ready, though some are tired after a hard draw with Sweden. "Only Edin said goodbye to us, otherwise all 25 players are here, they are all ready," Barbarez said. "There is fatigue, but we still have more than 24 hours."

The coach also explained why Samed Bazdar has been left out of the last three games. Bazdar was hurt for the first two matches and managed just one training session before the second. By the time he was fit again, Dzeko had returned for the Sweden game and there was no room left. 

"I hope he will give his maximum in training today, but you know that two of them have to go to the stands," Barbarez said.

Poland will be missing a big name of their own, as Robert Lewandowski is out. Barbarez said both teams know the feeling of losing a star player, but he warned that Poland still have plenty of quality. 

"Those are personalities because of whom everyone comes to the stands and because of whom every opponent has huge respect," he said of Lewandowski and Dzeko. He added that Poland, like Sweden, can change five or six players and still be strong.