Three rounds before the end of the Championship of Serbia and Montenegro in the season 2006/2007, we already had the Champion – Crvena zvezda. Crvena zvezda defeated OFK Beograd 2:0, the scorer was Dušan Đokić (35 and 79 minutes) and thus won the 24th Champion title. Crvena zvezda was 9 points ahead of Partizan, and had better goal difference in mutual matches, so theoretically, the first place was assured then and there. Partizan didn’t manage to triumph in Banatski Dvor in a game with Budućnost, where they struggled not to lose (1:1).
Before that, in the 126th derby match at Partizan stadium there were no goals, so Crvena zvezda maintained a high 7-point advantage six rounds before the end of the Championship, and it’s exactly the difference we had in the end (Crvena zvezda 78, Partizan 71). In that derby, the teams were led by foreigners: Italian Walter Zenga successfully led Crvena zvezda towards the Champion title, while German Jurgen Reber didn’t really find his way in Partizan. The match in Humska Street gave no winner and there were no goals, but Zenga left the stadium in a triumph. The red and white team had no regrets for a few excellent opportunities they had missed, since in the end they got the sweeter point.
During the magnificent title celebration the coach, Walter Zenga, was welcomed loudly by the applause of 30.000 fans in Marakana, in a match with Vojvodina. Among players, who changed their styling for this occasion only, by coloring their hair red and white, the greatest ovations went to the striker Nikola Žigić, the captain Nenad Kovačević and the defense player Dušan Basta. The medals were awarded by Tomislav Đorđević, general manager of Meridijan Bank, and the president of the Football Association Tomislav Karadžić awarded the Champion’s Cup. The celebration was enhanced with huge fireworks and a victory – Crvena zvezda – Vojvodina 3:1.
-The cup is heavy, but its weight feels good. Last year with Steaua I didn’t get to raise the Trophy, the players wore uniforms with my name for the occasion and that was a huge satisfaction for me. We accomplished the goal we had before this match and it was to win this 15th game and end the Championship with the maximum efficiency at home. The players are aware that they have entered the club’s history. I’m glad I managed to change their mentality, more precisely, that I managed to put it through to them that what’s best for the team is more important than what’s best for an individual. – stated Zenga, glowing with pleasure.
Before this final, there had been huge changes in the club and Dragan Stojković had become President of the club.
Roster:
Dušan Anđelković 3-0, Dušan Basta 25-0, Zoran Banović 1-1 primljen gol, Milan Biševac 20-0, Jagoš Vuković 1-0, Haminu Draman 4-1, Milan Dudić 28-3, Ardijan Đokaj 8-2, Dušan Đokić 9-8, Filip Đorđević 1-0, Nikola Žigić 23-12, Boško Janković 26-12, Nebojša Joksimović 18-0, Nenad Kovačević 25-1, Radovan Krivokapić 9-0, Aleksandar Luković 27-3, Bojan Miladinović 6-0, Nenad Milijaš 10-4, Dejan Milovanović 23-2, Dragan Mladenović 17-3, Dragan Mrđa 1-0, Vladimir Mudrinić 20-0, Marko Pantelić 3-0, Marko Perović 18-3, Milan Purović 24-11, Ivan Ranđelović 9-12 received goals, Milanko Rašković 13-5, Boban Stojanović 4-0, Vladimir Stojković 21-10 received goals, Takajuki Suzuki 6-0, Nenad Tomović 1-0, Nikola Trajković 13-2.
Coach:
Valter Zenga